Bet Your Heart Fall Out
by pinkpocket23
Summary: Proof that opposites attract: One cold and sexy heartthrob, a poor and dirty thief, plus one bet made to change it all. "You're of low class and you're definitely not attractive. But just watch." He smirked. "I can turn you into a woman in just six months." #2
1. Her Foul Mouth

**Disclaimer:** All rights belong to the respected author, Higuchi Tachibana. The quotes are not mine, neither are the characters.

Brief summary: A narcissist for an egotistical young heir takes on a penniless woman and her foul mouth. Embark upon an unforgettable joy-ride where the saying proves that: Opposites truly do attract.

**Inspired by:** The beloved 1964 film, My Fair Lady.

Contains some OOC with a cute & funny twist.

Bet Your Heart Fall Out

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"She's so deliciously low. So horribly dirty."

-Professor Henry Higgins. My Fair Lady (1964)

Chapter 1: Her Foul Mouth

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"That's him! That's him, isn't it?"

Squeals could be heard everywhere as a vast crowd of young women started flocking together like a herd of sheep.

Their voices echoed throughout the room like the constant chimes of a bell. Excitement and fascination filled the air.

"You're totally right, it is! _The _Natsume Hyuuga!"

"And look over there! Right beside him is Ruka Nogi. Wow, Youichi Hijiri and Tsubasa Andou, too!"

Every woman had a sparkle in their eyes, overjoyed with the handsome bachelors who decided to grace a special event with their presence.

The Melting Pot, a famous restaurant known for its fondue grandeur, was withholding a grand event in honor of the newly Grammy award-winning actress, Anna Umenomiya. Almost every popular model, actor, stylist and chef ─ everyone who was _anyone _were gathered together for the special occasion.

Four young men were seated afar off closest to the wall. All of them were dressed in luxury tuxedos, each one standing out in their own way. Their table was decorated with the luxuriance of every side dish possible. An exquisite chocolate fondue fountain was placed in the middle of the table.

One young man with jet black hair and attractive steel blue eyes started to dine in the exquisite dish.

He playfully let the tip of his index finger become lathered in chocolate, licking the delectable treat from his finger with a grin. "Beautiful women everywhere _and _a beautiful luscious snack. Major score!"

A small sneer came from his handsome companion seated next to him. His teal-grey eyes and silver hair were a jaw dropping sight. He had his chin placed in the palm of his hand with his elbow propped upon the table.

A lukewarm expression was placed on his face as he drawled, "Tsubasa, really? You're just a foolish kid trapped inside another body. Is it even safe to honor you with the title as my 'senior'?"

Finding it hard not to laugh, a handsome blonde with beautiful blue eyes chuckled lightly. "Honestly, Youichi, you really do enjoy lowering his standards, don't you?"

Youichi simply shrugged, "This childish fool."

"Hey!" Tsubasa flinched at the comment. "Why, you little─"

"Wow! You guys really came after all, impressive!"

Everyone turned their attention towards a beautiful young woman with cotton-candy pink hair, curls ending at the tips of each strand. She smiled sweetly, excitement evident within her voice.

"The two famous fashion stylists of the century, Tsubasa Andou and Youichi Hijiri!"

Youichi curtly nodded in return, "A pleasure."

Tsubasa smiled enthusiastically, "Yo!"

"Oh, I'm especially happy that the world's most popular chef could be here tonight as well. Ruka Nogi!"

The blonde haired bachelor responded with a bright smile. "It's great to see you too, Anna. We're much obliged to be here."

Anna smiled back reassuringly. She then shifted her gaze towards the attention of a stunningly attractive young man with disheveled raven hair.

He sat quietly, eyes closed, a nonchalant expression plastered on his face. One arm was casually swung over the edge of his chair while the other was placed on the table. His legs were propped upon the table as his hand absentmindedly fiddled around with his fork. It was like looking at the gorgeous picture shot straight out from a magazine.

"And who could ever forget Teen Sensation and model of the century, Natsume Hyuuga," Anna added a lingering stress to his name. "I heard that at just the age of twenty-four, you've also become the new heir as the new owner of Hyuuga Hotels. The most luxuriance of suites in the world, if you ask me."

The handsome young man slightly tilted his head to the side, slowly opening his dark, ruby-red orbs that blazed like a kindling flame. Anna hitched a breath of air at the sight. Even when wearing a simple tux, this man was just too sexy for his own good.

"It's true, Anna," he replied blandly. "I just recently accepted the title as new heir. Thank you for your overly kind compliment." He grabbed the woman by her wrist, rubbing small circles over her delicate skin. "By any chance, do you plan on booking a visit anytime soon? I'd even enjoy the honor in becoming your personal _'host' _for a one night stay involving a luxuriance one bedroom and breathtaking balcony."

His seductive and silk like voice sent shivering goose bumps upon the hairs of Anna's arms.

_Why not tonight? _─ was what she wanted to say. She blushed a deep red, giggling playfully.

"Oh, Natsume," she laughed, "you're such a kidder!" Anna flashed one more smile while taking a bow and took off to entertain other guests.

Ruka grinned at his best friend. "Natsume. You're doing it again."

Natsume arched a derisive brow in response. "What?"

Shaking his head beside himself, Ruka only sighed, "Your dazzling charm, the kind that can lure in any woman? You almost went above the bar that time."

Natsume replied with a snort. "Ruka, don't be stupid. It didn't mean a thing. I just need that woman's popular rank to further increase the status for Hyuuga Hotels. That's all." He smirked to himself. "You know I could do a hell lot better reeling in something else."

"That proud attitude of yours will backfire on you one day, Natsume-nii," Youichi chimed in. "The face of a movie star plus a charismatic IQ with that of a professor, every woman's dream _and _nightmare." He grinned admirably. "Amazing…"

Tsubasa only rolled his eyes. "You see now, Youichi? _This _is where you get your bad attitude from. The playboy persona, the uncaring attitude, that overconfident aura… Hell, Natsume's too cynical and proud to be your mentor." He ruffled his coal black hair with a dejected sigh.

Youichi snorted under his breath. "Rather a proud cynic than a childish fool."

Heat crept up to Tsubasa's neck as he sat upright in his seat, and with a click of his tongue grunted out, "Alright that's it! You've got too much disrespect for your senior. Where the heck do you get off saying stuff like… What the hell?"

A perplexing view made him go tongue-tied.

All eyes followed Tsubasa's gaze to the nearby window. Everyone flinched back in their seats. Right behind the glass window was a very…dirty and disoriented looking young woman.

Her cheeks were dirty and hazel eyes dim. There was not a single hint of spick-and-span or silky sheen to her unkempt head of hair. It came in the color of a dark brown, utterly disarrayed in filthy clumps.

The brunette's dirty fingers were plastered against the glass window. She gazed in awe with upon an appetizingly moist, German chocolate cake. She licked her lips in an avid manner, completely infatuated with the sight.

"The hell?" Tsubasa said following the woman's hungry gaze to the dessert set before him.

Well, this certainly wasn't an everyday thing. Everyone appeared to be quite appalled by the woman's desperate expression.

Ruka's eyes widened as he gasped, "Oh, wow…"

Youichi scoffed, "Filthy parasite."

Natsume narrowed his eyes. "_Disgusting,_" he jeered, feeling oddly violated.

Tsubasa hit the window with his hand, causing the woman to flinch back. "Creepy woman… What, you wanna make out with it or something?"

He hit the window again even harder and the woman disappeared. Seeing that the oddball had left for good, everyone regained their composure, relaxing their tense shoulders.

Ruka flipped his bangs with a disapproving sigh. "Honestly…That was quite a sight." He shook his head. "The sad tragedies that those in poverty must endure… Awful, really."

"Did you see her hair?" Youichi said disapprovingly. "Not a single glint of sheen. That woman had _no_ feminine qualities to her whatsoever."

Wrinkling his nose in distaste, Tsubasa rubbed his shoulders a\as if he were cold. "No kidding! She reminded me of that creepy thing from that movie. What was it again…? The Grudge? Yeah ─ She looked _exactly _like that thing. Gross!"

"You're over exaggerating, Tsubasa," Ruka laughed. "She wasn't that scary, really. But… I'll admit it did freak me out."

Youichi snorted under his breath. "Even so, she could use a good make-over. A woman should at least _look_ attractive."

Sighing with a hint of boredom, Natsume slowly arose from the table. He shoved both hands into the ridges of his pockets as his monochromatic voice droned, "Let's get out of here. I've suddenly lost my appetite. It's getting boring anyway."

Nodding accordingly, both Youichi and Ruka arose from their seats. Natsume yawned tiredly then turned to walk off with his two friends following close behind.

Tsubasa stayed put as he ushered for a waiter. "I'll catch up with you guys in a sec. Just let me get a carry-out box for this cake."

Natsume gave a shrug of the shoulders as he and his friends took their leave. Once making their way towards the exit, an earful of squeals and shrills suddenly erupted into the air. Women started to flock around the handsome bachelors, careful enough to make room for them as they started to leave.

"Natsume! Natsume, please! Take me now!"

"Ruka! Ruka, dear I'm over here!"

"You-chan! I love your tux! I'm a huge fan baby!"

The loud, chafing screams coming from the many female fans made Natsume all but smiled as he gave a roll of his eyes in annoyance.

It was no doubt that they were all like the typical women that he usually encountered, probably only wanting his body and money. He didn't even bother so much as sparing a glance at any of them. The only thing that mattered to him right now was getting the hell out of the restaurant.

Passing through the crowd of women, he ran a hand through his disheveled raven tresses with a brooding grunt. "Seriously, this gets tiring after a while having to deal with annoying women."

"Are they now, Natsume?" Ruka asked while walking beside him. "You never know, one of them might turn out to be your ideal woman."

"Ruka," Natsume snorted at the idea, "if I wanted a woman, I could take her easily without breaking a sweat. All of these women have nothing but a one track mind when it comes to the pleasures of men, you know that."

Ruka gave a wistful smile at his friend's wayward personality and shrugged. This was to be expected of his usually stouthearted best friend who only cared about his own opinionated, factual ideas.

"Here you are, young men!" The awaiting chauffer happily obliged by opening the door of the restaurant for the three young bachelors. "Thank you for coming to The Melting Pot. Please come again. Have a nice night!"

Inhaling a breath of the fresh night air, Ruka gave a good stretch to his arms and sighed contently. "Ah! It feels nice…" He turned to Natsume and formed a small smile. "I bet one day you'll regret saying those words of your ideals about women, Natsume. You never know. God made someone for everyone."

Natsume's eyes rolled in annoyance. Here goes his best friend trying to suck him up with the senseless, stupid reasoning…

"Ruka, you…" he paused on the words to come.

Suddenly catching glimpse of a peculiar sight, his eyes narrowed in disgust.

His brows knitted together as he scrutinized the strange woman from afar, taking notice that she happened to be the same weirdo that he had witnessed just moments earlier. Located just beside the mid-alley of the restaurant wall, she was busying herself with lurking through bins of trash.

He took notice of her clothes, scowling at her horrible appearance with a snort of breath. She wore a tattered looking red shawl along with a pair of torn brown pants. His earlier assumption about the dirty thing was right after all. She really was a disgusting creature in his eyes.

He sneered at the hideous sight of poverty_. How can a woman even think to search through something as filthy as trash?_

"I'm ready!"

Natsume's thoughts were soon interrupted as Tsubasa came rushing out of the restaurant.

He ran over to join his other group of friends and gave a playful nudge to Youichi's arm. "Whew! Alright, it's all packed up." He held up his take-out box and grinned. "Let's go!"

Suddenly, his blue eyes shifted over to another direction. He arched both brows, gazing at the weird sight of the dirty looking woman from earlier.

Tsubasa formed a coy smile as if in thought. "Hey, check this out," he said, sending an amused grin over to Youichi's direction.

Youichi watched with a skeptic brow as his friend opened up his box of chocolate cake. "What the hell are you doing?"

Tsubasa rolled his eyes. He turned his shoulder slightly where Youichi couldn't see, made a sound from his mouth and then turned back to look with a grin.

"Just watch. Bet this will be funny."

He closed the box then, still laughing beside himself as he shook it lightly. Once that was done, he casually made his way over to the young woman scouring through trash, and was quick to put on his 'gentleman' facade, a kind smile matching with that of his attractive looks. There was no way any woman could resist his grin.

"Excuse me," he cooed, letting his dark blue eyes work their spellbound magic.

Startled by the sudden appearance, the brunette released a small yelp as she backed away, cautious and wary of the handsome stranger.

Tsubasa gave her a reassuring smile. "No, don't be afraid, please." The woman stayed put, slightly captivated by his smile and attractive blue eyes. Tsubasa offered his take-out box while saying, "Here you go. I can see that you're desperate. You're hungry, right? Please, take this."

The woman was skeptical at first as she examined the box. Still, she found his handsome charm a little hard to resist. He was being fairly kind with offering something so compromising as food. It couldn't hurt, right?

After thinking over the thought a little more, the brunette took a few steps closer towards Tsubasa. She was a bit hesitant at first, but after inhaling a quick whiff of chocolate deluxe, decided to take the box from his grasp.

Lips twitching as if fighting back a laugh, Tsubasa smiled, "See? That wasn't so bad, was it? Enjoy!" He waved over his shoulder, taking his leave as he headed back over to his friends. It took everyounce of willpower for him not to burst out laughing right then and there. "Did you guys see that? How gullible can you get?"

Youichi narrowed his eyes while snorting in disbelief. "You're not serious… All that trouble for a homeless person?" He shifted his footing, deciding to leave his idiot friend to bask in his childlike glory. "You really are a child."

Tsubasa only shrugged. "What, it was funny. You should've seen her desperate expression." Still cackling in amusement, he followed Youichi towards the limo that was awaiting them.

Ruka sighed to himself, half disappointed with his friend's childish actions. Tsubasa was clearly more than just a famous celebrity with good looks…

"Honestly," he said with a shake of his head. "You would think that even he had decent manners… Oh?" After taking notice that another presence was missing, he arched a brow while looking for the sight of raven hair and crimson eyes. "Natsume?"

Standing a few feet away, Natsume was busy scrutinizing the dirty brunette from afar.

She looked so foolish, delighted by the simple joys of receiving such a trivial thing as food. What was even worse is that she was stupid enough to accept something from a person who she didn't even know. He tried hard to shift his gaze away…but the crazy woman just looked so pathetic in his eyes.

_Is she really going to eat that? _he thought to himself.

The woman stared at the box in her hands with a lick of her lips. She opened up the box, and smiled in adoration at a dessert of prominent goodness.

Her eyes sparkled excitedly like the twinkling of stars as she gazed upon chocolate deluxe. She picked up the cake in her hands ready to engulf it whole. Natsume couldn't stand it.

…_Damn!_

With a few quick strides, he was immediately hovering over the woman. Even a prideful person such as himself couldn't stand to see someone lowering their standards such as this. There came a loud plop to the ground as he slapped the cake right out of her hands.

"Ah!" The woman could only stare upon the sight in horror.

What she had longed to indulge was lying upon the ground like a broken toy, its crumbles of chocolate, gooey goodness completely wasted. Mortified, she narrowed her eyes at the one held responsible.

Natsume sneered while brushing off his hands. "You really are a naïve woman. Taking things from random strangers like that. It's a good thing I─"

"Jerk! What the _hell _did you have to go and do that for, huh?"

Natsume blinked twice, confused. "…What?"

This woman just fumed out in rage against him… There wasn't a single sign of gratitude or appreciation placed upon her face whatsoever.

She was in defense mode, her fists clenched tightly together with her legs slightly spread apart. Her body language emitted an icy aura as she glared at the one who had dared to take away the only food that she had.

Natsume was caught off guard. This woman had the _gall_ to cuss at him for helping her?

Inhaling sharply, he frowned and snarled out, "Stupid woman. Just where do you think that you get off in talking to me like that? Ungrateful wench."

The woman flinched in response. "Look what you've done!" She emphasized with the use of her hand pointing down to the ground. "That was the only food that I had, y-you…cold-hearted monster!"

Natsume clenched his fists. "Monster?" he snarled through his teeth. "A hideous and ugly looking woman like _you _has the guts to talk down to me like that? Take a good look at your standards first!"

That did it.

Slapping the cake to the ground was one thing, but when the woman heard a blatant comment like that… Oh no way in hell could she let that blow off.

"I'm saying that you just took away my only food. What is it with you, huh? You got a stick stuck up past your rear end or what?"

A tick popped from Natsume's head. "You...Ugly wench. Like hell I'll let you talk to me like that."

No one had _ever_ had the guts to talk down to him with such disrespect. Certainly, this woman had to be crazy as hell.

"Stupid fool." Detest was coated within his brazen tone. "I did you a favor in getting rid of that disgusting thing that you call food!"

The brunette pouted her cheeks. "Favor? Just how were ya doing me a favor?"

"That guy that you were so dazedly charmed by did something to that piece of chocolate cake. You were about to eat it so I had to do something. It was sick!"

"And so just what makes you think that I wanted ya to slap it outta my hand, anyway? That was the only food I had!"

Natsume was awestruck. This woman was willing to eat something so disgustingly violated…even if that meant having to eat a piece of contaminated cake?

He stared down at her like she belonged in a mental institute. "You…can't be serious."

The brunette flared her nostrils, placing her hands on either side of her hips with a stomp of the foot. "Thanks to you, I'm going to starve for the night. Just who do ya think you are to go and do something so mean, huh? Who do ya think you are?"

Wait. A. Damn. Moment...

Natsume didn't know how to take the stupid question. His jaw clenched tight. This woman didn't know who he was? Thoughts started to circulate all around his head. For Natsume Hyuuga, there was no greater slap in the face than for someone, especially a _woman, _to not know who _he_ was.

With his hands balled into fists, and his breath now stuck in his throat, Natsume dared to ask, "You…don't know who I am?"

The woman shrugged her shoulders. "No. Why would I?"

"You…"

Natsume couldn't speak. This stupid woman had the gall driven nerve… It just didn't make any sense at all.

This filthy piece of trash didn't know who he was? _Him! _Natsume Hyuuga, famous model and young heir of luxury Hyuuga Hotels ─ the most luxurious suites in the country…no, the world! He couldn't fill in the gaps, unable to find the right solution to know if such a deluded woman actually existed.

_She's not serious. No way in hell is she serious… This crazy woman…_

Seeing the man caught in a daze, the woman snapped her fingers for his attention. Natsume snapped out of his thoughts as he came back to realization and looked down at the sight of brown eyes stirring with frustration.

"Look, you," she demanded, standing on the tips of her toes to level with that of the man's 6'2inches of height. "Tell me how you're gonna fix this crap. Ya hear me? I want my damn cake back right now!" She pouted in frustration, her lower lip making her look like that of a sad puppy.

Natsume felt a vein popping out from his head at every word. It was official. This woman was far beyond foul. Not only did the dirt ugly thing have no morals, but her poor excuse for proper diction was a mess.

Before he could open his mouth to get a word in, a chauffeur appeared on the spot with Ruka following close behind.

"Shoo, shoo! You little insect!" The chauffer made it his mission to get rid of the dirty brunette as he chased her off.

"Natsume, are you okay?" Ruka asked as he came to stand by his overly stunned best friend who was still at a loss for words. He blinked twice, cleared his throat, and nudged the young Hyuuga heir in the side of his arm while asking, "Um… Natsume? Dude… Did that woman do anything to you?"

Still caught in his own daze, Natsume continued to stare after the outlandish young woman as she was being chased away.

Then suddenly, the little brunette froze for a good moment, stopping short in her tracks as she slightly turned to look back at the raven haired bachelor. Curious, Natsume arched a skeptic brow in response, and then right at that moment, the woman did something that was… way beyond the inhibitions of a lady.

She raised her hand, flicking him the bird while childishly sticking out her tongue. "Stupid cold-hearted jerk!" With that said, she ran off disappearing into the far routes of the street like that of a ghost.

Natsume's body went rigid altogether with the clench of his teeth as he could only watch her leave. "…The hell?"

It was unreal… What the hell was happening this night? Exactly who did that damn woman think that she was!

Ruka's eyes widened just as much as Natsume's did. He turned to his friend with an astonished expression. "Natsume," he said slowly with a hint of worry in his voice. "You didn't…say anything to anger her, did you?"

Coming back to realization, Natsume immediately shifted his cold glare over towards Ruka, causing him to flinch back. He snorted, fed up and damn well irritated by what had just happened. This was one hell of a night.

"That crazy ugly woman… That stupid and _vile_ piece of trash!" His brows creased together with a malevolent scowl. "That disgustingly low excuse for a human being with a foul mouth better not run into me again."

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Greetings! Just a short note: To my awesome new readers, at the moment I am currently revising each chapter, but you are more than welcome to keep reading as I will gradually update the edited ones at a time.

Thus…I present to you a new Mikan. As I stated, there's some OOC. It was…different to make Tsubasa be so cruel. :P

Well, don't be shy awesome reader. Click on to the next chapter/Review


	2. The Irrational Stray

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything except this fun story. Do read on. ^^

**.**

"Women are irrational, that's all there is to that! Their heads are full of cotton, hay, and rags."

-Professor Henry Higgins. My Fair Lady (1964)

**Chapter 2: The Irrational Stray**

**.**

A clear blue sky was inevitably priceless with the beautiful cotton like clouds that lingered about it.

Soundly melodic chirps of birds came with a sense of peace, even among the busy bustling noise of the city. The sweet aroma of flowers mingled in with the heavenly scent of freshly baked donuts.

For Ruka, there was no better way to describe such a wonderful Friday morning. Nothing could ruin it.

"What the hell do you mean, "_I don't want a one night stand?" _"

Well…nothing except for _that._

Rudely disrupted from his peaceful sightings, the young chef turned to look at his narcissist for a best friend. They were walking side by side upon this beautiful Friday morning. Natsume was busy talking among the phone with his crimson eyes stirring with frustration.

Ruka closed his eyes and sighed. "Not again…"

"You say that you want something more than a typical date? Feeding you isn't enough?"

_Another loud phone callcagain, _Ruka thought to himself.

Natsume continued walking, one hand inside of his pocket with the other holding his phone. "So that's what you were after, huh?" He clicked his tongue expectantly. "Hn. Women like you are so typical, really. You want my whole attention at your leisure, is that what you mean? Are you even worth such confined moments of my time?"

Ruka rolled his eyes.

_There he goes again…_

"So you think that you've got me figured out? That's right. I don't care for attachments. But that doesn't stop me from getting what I want, naturally. I can get any girl clawing after me in a heartbeat."

_He's going to draw it at the red line once more…_

"What did you just say? Tell you how this is going to go?" Natsume smirked. "Alright sweetheart, let me tell you exactlyhow this is going to go."

_Here it comes… Don't do it Natsume._

"With the first date, you'll find me repulsive. You'll probably throw insulting comments in my direction while I simply keep to the game. Then, when I drop you off home you'll think over what you had said that night. The next day, you'll find yourself calling me on my phone and consent to wanting another round."

_Please, don't do it Natsume…_

"And yeah sure, I'll give in to your request and treat you out for dinner. We'll head back to your place and I'll pleasure you all through the night. The next thing you know, you'll finally find yourself completely infatuated with me, saying how you want me as your own. I'll turn you down which will only sadden you more."

Ruka shook his head and sighed.

_He did it… He did it anyway._

"Before you realize it, you'll find yourself down on your knees for me. You'll beg me to take you back. I'll refuse, and probably let you off smoothly with a less crucial reason as to why I made my decision." Natsume grinned, stopping short as he finished off. "So does that answer your question? Has it settled in your head yet?"

Then, a long pause of silence came. Ruka stared at his friend, skeptical as to what happened next.

"Natsume? What happened?"

Natsume slowly closed his eyes with a sigh of relief. With a press of his thumb, the call was finished as he simply said, "She's done."

"Why? Did she hang up on you?"

"No," Natsume scoffed. "I hung up on her. She started to get dramatic." He shrugged. "It would be too much of a hassle to try and deal with a conversation like that, so I let her go. Seriously…women get way too emotional."

He and Ruka continued their walk, passing the other side of the street while making their way through the crowd of people. Ruka turned once more to look at his friend, smiling at the amount of nonchalance stemming from his facial expression.

"Natsume."

"Hn?"

"Why do you say such things?"

"What do you mean now, Ruka?"

"I mean things like what you just said earlier." Ruka tried to have a sense of reason in his tone of voice. "You disregard women off like their all categorized into one large bowl of cereal or something. Getting them for your own benefits but being completely heartless towards their feelings in general."

"Ruka," Natsume droned tiredly, "do you always have to bring up meaningless things like this?"

"I'm just saying," Ruka shrugged. "You're a handsome bachelor at the top of your game, doing as you please. But don't you realize that you've also developed a reputation for being a playboy as well?"

He stopped short along with Natsume, placing a hand upon his shoulder.

"You are my best friend and all, so I just want to see you settle down sometime. You know, by no longer carrying around your 'single-playboy' card when it comes to women."

Natsume eyes squinted in return as if he were scrutinizing Ruka's thoughts.

"Ruka… As much time as we spend together I thought that you would already know how I work. Women always expect two things when it comes to men: Pleasure and money. And then probably the keys to an expensively bought car for her to model around in. They don't give a damn about anything else."

"But how can you be so sure, Natsume? Have you honestly asked a woman what she truly wants?"

"Ruka, you know better than to ask me that," Natsume replied confidently. "It's a field I've experienced since high school. My experiences with women always end with them wanting the spotlight or expensive valuables." He smirked to himself. "Not to mention the awesome thrills when it involves a bed."

"Seriously, man, maybe you should─"

"Ruka," Natsume interjected, "have you found a woman worth your time for _'settling down?' _Did you seriously find one that you think could bring the best out of you without playing mind games?"

Ruka blinked, pondering over the question. He smiled to himself, flipping his long blond tresses from the side of his face. "I believe so," he replied with confidence.

"Who?"

"Hotaru Imai, your cousin." Ruka looked off to the side and tried to hide a smile. "She is way beyond my image of an 'ideal woman.' There's so much to her that astounds me. It's as if she has no flaws or faults to her."

"That woman?" Natsume snickered. "You mean the same woman who is so 'profoundly' intelligent when it comes blackmailing others? The same woman who causes men to leap when she says 'leap,' or sit when she says 'sit?' That _same _Hotaru Imai, Ruka?"

Ruka chuckled to himself. "She isn't at all like how you described her, Natsume."

"That right? And have you had the guts to try and ask her out?"

"Of course!"

"Yeah?" Natsume arched his brow. "And what did she say? Humor me."

"She… Well, she wasn't at all impressed that I was a world renowned chef. She offered a deal."

"Which was?"

"If I could create at least one dish that she liked," Ruka said doubtful, "then… she would consider the thought of me dating her. But the dish has to be to her liking, and I don't have any idea as to what she likes."

Natsume snickered again, "No one does."

"Even so, I gave her my word." Ruka laughed nervously. "Problem is… Hotaru hates all of my dishes."

"Right," Natsume said as he turned to continue walking. "And that, my best friend, proves my whole point exactly about the cunnings of women."

He lifted his wrist to catch the time of day.

_11:53Am. Damn…_

"How's the time?" Ruka asked, trying to match with Natsume's pace.

"Not too bad, I guess," Natsume replied uncaringly. "The interview doesn't start till exactly 12:15, so we have time. Still…" He frowned. "I've never even been even close to twelve minutes late for such a simple thing. I haven't gotten an ounce of sleep these past two days."

Ruka couldn't hide his laughter. "You're talking about that weird woman from three nights ago, aren't you?"

Natsume's frown deepened even further. "That vile, piece of _trash_ for a human being…"

Suddenly, at that very moment Ruka found his attention being drifted off somewhere else. He squinted his eyes then widened them in recognition at the sight ahead of him. His jaw nearly dropped.

"You do mean the same woman from the restaurant, right?" he asked.

"Hell yeah," Natsume sneered. "That pitiful excuse for a woman."

"The same woman with muffled auburn hair?"

"That _exactly_ same one. Her filthy hands and mouth… That same mouth that had the guts to talk down to me."

"The same one that was wearing a tattered looking red shawl and brown pants?" Ruka asked, still focused in another direction.

"Right. That same hideous woman who probably couldn't even afford a shirt from a thrift store."

Ruka paused with a short amount of silence. "The same woman who was about… 5'3inches in height?"

Natsume abruptly came to a stop, looking at his friend. "Why the hell do you keep asking, Ruka?"

"Well for starters," Ruka began, "there could be a red string of fate that binds coincidences. Or…"

"Or?"

"Maybe it's just purely a coincidence… that the same woman happens to be right by our destination?" Ruka pointed in said direction straight ahead towards a dirty looking brunette. She was standing just behind a tree by a nearby café.

Natsume's gaze followed Ruka's index finger. His eyes widened in horror. He was right. Just at the corner of Starbucks™ café, a familiar and unwanted face was lurking around.

The brunette kept silent, cautious as she stared about her surroundings. Her eyes were focused on a middle aged looking woman carrying a small purple leather purse. She was busy drinking a tall cup of coffee as she stood still, clueless as to what was slowly creeping up behind her.

Being as discreet as possible, the brunette quietly made a few steps forward, stopping short just behind her target. Slowly, she reached out for the purple purse intertwining her fingers within the straps. Like the quiet grace-given pace of a fox, she was careful to pull the purse out from the woman's grasp.

Once making her catch, she was careful not to make her presence known and retreated. Her eyes sparkled at the prize before her. Easy catch!

She was just about to open up her prized possession when suddenly…

_Swap!_

Out of nowhere, the leather purse was snatched from her hands.

The brunette blinked twice and turned to look at the one responsible. Witnessing a familiar face, her eyes widened as she stumbled backwards and flinched at the man's icy glare.

A handsome man with captivating crimson eyes and disheveled raven hair stood before her. His face was mounted in disgust, seething with a sense of bitter hatred as he stared at the thieving woman.

Natsume sneered before casually making his presence known to the middle-aged woman. "Ma'am," he called with a charming smile, "I believe this is yours." He handed her the purse and said, "It seems like you left it inside of the café, so I did my best to try and return it to you."

His charm was more than enough to knock her off of her feet. It even had a lingering affect for a woman of her age.

"Oh no, Mr. Hyuuga, it's quite alright," she assured him. "Please don't try to explain yourself. A handsome and busy man like you has the time to return such a trivial thing to someone like me. Thank you so much!"

She gave another reassuring smile before finally taking her leave. Seeing that his work was done, Natsume turned his attention back to the filthy brunette. He narrowed his eyes in disgust. It was amazing how something so foul could roam the streets freely like this.

The brunette had a glare that was just as fierce. Her amber eyes flickered with annoyance.

Natsume slowly made his way towards her. Now that he was finally making the time to look at her... _really _look at her, he found her appearance to be less… repulsive as he had imagined.

Her auburn hair was still in filthy muffled clumps, but it wasn't so disarrayed like before. The gleam in her hazel eyes was a pretty shade of honey-brown, complimenting her face. Her feet, however, were worn and dirty, looking as if they had been running a yearlong mile for days. She almost looked like that of a stray kitten.

"You!" the brunette pointed accusingly. "Why are you here, huh? And you!" She pointed at the handsome blonde, who was also staring back with a surprised expression. "What the world are you two doing here?"

Natsume sneered, "Maybe we should ask _you_ something. Why the hell did you just try to steal that woman's purse?"

The brunette frowned, placing both hands on her hips. She arched a brow with indifference. "What the hell is it to ya, eh?"

"Filthy little street rat," Natsume scorned. "You really are a low-down and pitiful creature with no morals. Stealing won't get you a damn thing in this world. Things like you should be locked behind bars."

Such a blatant comment like that only seemed to anger the brunette even more. "Shut up! You don't know a damn thing about me." She scrunched her nose in disgust. "A jerk like you oughta go try and ruin someone else's day. Moron!"

"What did you just...?" Natsume could feel his blood boiling crazy. "You know what? Ugly beasts like you shouldn't have the right to walk around in public. People could die just by looking at you."

The brunette countered, "And stupid jerks like you should mind their own business! Who the heck are ya, anyway?"

Oh hell not this _again_. Natsume was being disrespected without proper recognition all at one time by the same dirty woman.

"You…" Natsume started, "For you not to know who I am is way beyond compare. You should know that you are talking to one of the most influential and important men in the world."

The brunette yawned mockingly. "Like I care. That doesn't sound like much to me."

Ouch. It felt like someone had shot a perfectly good aim straight through Natsume's ego. He scowled with a bitter sense of frustration. There was no way he could let her off so easily.

"You'll take back those words soon enough," he warned her in a confidently dry tone.

His head swiftly turned away from the brunette with his eyes focusing on their surroundings, desperate to find anything evident enough to display his fame. His lips pursed into a grin after finally finding something to his advantage. He grabbed a hold of the woman's shoulder, forcing her to look in his pointed direction.

"Look," he said, pointing at a poster of him in the front of a store window, "that there, is a picture of me done for _Rolling Stone Magazine_, shot by a world renowned photographer." Next, he turned his focus towards another direction. "And look, there," he commanded, "straight ahead you can see a clothing store dedicated to the latest fashions that _I___stylized as an icon. Take notice of the cardboard poster of myself standing just beside the entrance." Natsume whipped his hand towards another area. "Just over there, you can find an incredibly huge Toshiba flat screen, displaying my latest runway shows broadcasted in France."

His smug grin grew with confidence as he pointed in the air.

"And look right there. Just above the whole city, you can see my face plastered upon that giant billboard. It stretches over just far enough for anyone to simply look out their window and catch a good glimpse at it. Perfect size."

Natsume stood tall as if he were ready to take on the entire world. He clicked his tongue in satisfaction.

"Not to mention," he began, "I have also become the official heir for Hyuuga Hotels, the most luxuriance suites known throughout the world. How many men can compete with something like that? You can say that my bachelor status also overrides men about my age. I accomplished _all_ of this. "

He turned around, ready to see the incredulous expression set on the filthy woman's face.

"Now do you see how much I-"

He paused.

Only a handsome looking blonde stood before a flabbergasted Natsume. Ruka gave a half smile along with a worried expression. "She left a long time ago during your um… _performance_." He pointed afar off, "Looks like she was interested in something else."

Natsume's eyes followed in said direction. Just across the street, the brunette was making another attempt of robbery. She was making a big scene, desperately trying to snatch a bag of groceries from an elderly aged man.

The young heir looked on in disbelief. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. There was no way that woman would stoop so low as to steal from a little boy…

_She wouldn't…_

Then suddenly, (possibly just to prove him wrong) without warning, the brunette freed one of her hands from the bags and pushed the boy down to the ground.

Natsume's jaw really dropped this time. _She…she would__…_

Ruka's expression was just as bewildered. "D-did she really just do that?"

_**Peep! Peep!**_

The whistles of policemen could be heard as they hurried their way to the scene.

Seeing her chance, the thieving brunette grabbed what she could, making an escape with one bag of groceries.

"Hey! Stop right there!" the police called after her.

People stopped what they were doing. All eyes were focused on a dirty brunette zooming right by them like the speed of light.

"Natsume," Ruka nudged his friend, "that woman is… She's something else, huh? To actually be that desperate to steal in broad daylight like this…"

Natsume was _speechless._ The day just couldn't get worse.

Here he was, frantically trying to make a set appointment for an interview. But then things had to turn for the worse as soon as he encountered _that_ woman again. Ever since his uneventful encounter with the wild thing, his share of luck only seemed to dimmer.

Finally, the police were able to catch up to the brunette. One reached out to grab a hold of her arm pulling her with force. Still as feisty as ever, the woman refused to comply. She stopped short in the middle of the street, completely unaware of the huge truck that was speeding straight towards her.

Seeing the event unfold right before his eyes, Natsume found himself hitching a breath of air. He couldn't believe this mess. Could that stupid woman not see what she was doing?

_That stupid woman is going to get herself killed…!_

Ruka gasped in horror. "Natsume…! That truck is─"

"Crap!" Natsume didn't waste another second. He suddenly found himself heading straight towards the brunette as his legs moved on their own.

At last, the brunette freed herself from the policeman's grasp. Then suddenly, she stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes widened in horror as she witnessed a huge tow-truck speeding right in her direction.

Natsume desperately made use of his long legs to reach out for her. He couldn't believe what he was doing, but he found himself refusing to stop. Somehow, he _had_ to make it in time.

"Damn…!"

**.**

Ohhhh snap! It's a different take on things here ain't it? Hope you enjoyed : )


	3. A Damn Nuisance

**Disclaimer:**The story is mine. I take no credit for the characters and quotes.

**.**

P.H. **-**"I find that the moment a woman makes friends with me

she becomes jealous, exacting, suspicious, and a damn nuisance."

**-Professor Henry Higgins. My Fair Lady (1964)**

Chapter 3: A Damn Nuisance

**.**

Simple.

A daily interview as a celebrity was all that was supposed to be said and done. It was… simple! But for the sexy heartthrob, Natsume Hyuuga, the word 'simple' was not on his list for the day. It didn't exist. If anything, his day became more than bizarre and complex. It should've been original.

_Beep! Beep!_

Instead, he found himself in a dead-bend situation, involving a dirty brunette who didn't know the meaning of the words, manners or respect for that matter. Man ─ this woman was such a damn nuisance.

_Beeeeep!_

A large tow-truck was heading straight for the young woman. She froze on the spot like a deer caught in headlights. Her hazel eyes opened wide. The mouth of her jaw dropped. Her hold to the stolen bag of groceries was released as cans of food and a variety of fruit spilled everywhere.

"Damn it!"

As if on cue came the handsome raven haired hero with an extra added _whoosh _ to his glide. He reached out for the brunette with his crimson eyes focused only on her. His body pushed against hers as they both fell crash forward to the concrete ground with him on top. The speeding tow-truck passed them by. An angel _must_have been around for such a blessing.

Natsume tried to gasp for air, desperately inhaling and exhaling with each breath. He cursed under his breath, thankful that his handsome face had been spared from meeting an almost untimely death.

"Damn!" His angry crimson eyes looked down to the brunette. She lay underneath him ─ her face just as taken aback as his. Her small frame was caged under his own with both of his arms caging her by the side as he hovered over her. "Stupid girl! Do you realize that you could've been killed? Huh!"

She was half caught in a daze, a little shaken up by what happened. "I-I was…"

Natsume stood up, brushing the dirt from off of his expensive shirt. "Crap," he muttered. "This stupid woman and her stupid theft, and her damn stupid ideas…" He continued rambling on, not happy at all with roughing up his best pair of jeans.

"Natsume!" A frantic looking blonde came running up to his best friend. His blue eyes were bewildered with shock. "Are you alright? You could've been killed, what were you thinking?"

"Hn," was all Natsume could reply. "It couldn't be helped, Ruka. Because _this_," he pointed to the shocked brunette who lay on the ground, "thing had to go and do a stupid thing and involve me running in the middle of the damn street." He snorted in disbelief. "This stupid and foolish woman with no morals and no brain."

"Hey! I never asked you to – _oomph!_" Before the brunette could mouth back, she found herself forcefully being lifted off of the ground.

"Here we go missy," the policeman held tightly to the woman. "I'm going to make sure you don't get away from us this time." He grunted while holding her up, "Let's take her in boys."

Four more policemen came to assist in arresting the feisty brunette.

"Stupid jerks! Let go of me! Let go of me, I said!" Her struggling was futile. Out of desperation, she started biting at their hands and arms, kicking and screaming like a spoiled child.

Natsume was disgusted by the sight. "What... the hell is that thing made of…"

"Mr. Hyuuga, are you alright, sir?" A policeman came rushing up to the young heir in worry. "We're terribly sorry about that. It should've been us to have retrieved that woman in the first place. Please forgive us, sir."

"Forget about it," the idol replied sternly, fixing the collar to his shirt. "Instead, you should get _that_…" he pointed to the frenzy brunette who was now biting at any policeman that came near her. "…Get that disgusting thing out of my sight. She annoys the hell out of me."

"Yes sir! Come on boys, you heard the man!"

The policemen made it their mission to withhold the dirty woman. Struggling to keep her in place, they gradually made their way to the cop car and hauled her inside.

The brunette was still willing to put up a fight. "Hands off stupid jerks! Let me go! Let-"

_Bam!_

The car door slammed shut where her mouth could no longer be heard. Natsume watched with great relief as they drove away leaving along with a mad woman in the back.

Ruka stared after the car in silence. He couldn't help but feel remorse. "That poor woman…"

"She got what she deserved," Natsume spat out. "Seriously… Now my clothes have dirt stains on them. That damn ground ruined my whole outfit, this shirt was expensive!"

"Natsume," Ruka turned to look at his best friend. "Don't you feel a bit sorry for that woman? She was so desperate in stealing those groceries and now she's taken to probably rot in jail."

"Ruka," Natsume exasperated a sigh, "that thing doesn't deserve your pity. If anything, she deserves the amount of time served to match with my amount for this shirt."

"Natsume… We should head over to the police station and have that woman released. I mean at least she should be taken somewhere rather than being in a horrible place like jail."

Natsume scoffed at such stupid reasoning. "Hell, I'll be damned if I ever step foot inside of a dirty police station just to have a fowl woman like that be released."

"But, Natsume-"

"Ruka," Natsume scowled, refusing to listen to any more, "that woman is not any of my concern. Go if you want. I'm not stepping a foot in that building. You're not going to drag me all the way to a police station to have that woman be released, and that's final."

**.**

**Police Department: **Building 4 Address -4569 Bryant Irvin Road, 76312

Warning: Smoking is prohibited beyond this point

Natsume stood in front of the police station, frustration clearly evident within his crimson eyes. His brows creased in disbelief. Clearly, he was hallucinating…

"I can't believe you dragged me all the way to the police station just to have that woman be released…"

His best friend tried to give a reassuring smile. "It's not all that bad, Natsume. Think of it as a good deed."

"And just how in the hell do I do that?"

"Well," Ruka paused, "you could use this opportunity to create a special headline in the news for your career: '_Natsume Hyuuga rescues homeless woman from jail.'_You never know, it could get big."

Natsume rolled his eyes at the sarcastic humor. "Like hell I would go and embarrass myself in front of the media by doing that." He snorted and found a comfortable position while leaning against the side of a pole. Fishing in his side pocket, he pulled out a red lighter and a pack of Pall Malls®.

"So you'll wait for me then?" Ruka asked him.

Natsume grunted, "You bet. Smokers aren't allowed anyway." He lit up his cigarette, exhaling the smoke with a sigh. "I'll try to get a hold to a taxi. So try to hurry up with this stupid crap, alright?"

"Alright then, be right back." Shaking his head a little beside himself, Ruka casually made his way inside of the building.

It didn't take long for the ogling eyes of people, especially women to catch a glimpse at the handsome blonde. All focus was set on him. They immediately stopped what they were doing, surprised to see a world class chef inside of a dirty police station of all places.

"Oh, Mr. Nogi," one policeman came running up to the young blonde haired bachelor. "You really came after all!" He gazed on in bewilderment.

Ruka simply smiled in return. "Yes. Thank you so much for responding to my phone call from earlier. I'm terribly sorry for the trouble." He stared about the premises, eyes searching for a certain dirty brunette. "Um...is she ready?"

"Oh, of course, y-yes sir… But…" The policeman stared back at the young man doubtful. "You sure you want to do this? I mean that woman is a thief and all… Who knows what she might do next?"

"Yes, maybe you're right officer," Ruka laughed. "Was she a handful, the woman I mean?"

"Heh, a handful doesn't even cut it. We had one hell of a time wrestling with that one, believe me. She's got one hell of a mouth on her, that's for sure."

Ruka laughed, "Yes, I know."

"Damn jerks! Get your filthy hands offa me! Get 'em off!"

Hearing the intent of loud swearing, Ruka's eyes lit up in expectance. "Well, right on cue, that must be her."

The policeman nodded solemnly, "Y-yes sir. I'll have her brought to you right away."

He took his leave before returning with another officer official. They both made a struggling attempt for walking while wrestling with a feisty brunette. She was flailing her legs about, kicking aimlessly in the air. Ruka's eyes opened wide with worry, a little nervous to see how much of a wild cat the woman actually was.

"Stupid jerks! I said let go!" The woman turned to bite the officer to her left.

"Ouch ─ damn!" He released her immediately, pushing her straightforward into the arms of the blonde haired bachelor.

Ruka caught her without ease, doing his best to form a charming and reassuring smile. The brunette held her tongue, a little perplexed with being so close to a handsome face. Her hazel eyes grew wide with recognition and an odd sense of relief.

"Y-you are..." she stuttered.

"There you are, sir," the policeman waved off. "She's all yours. Hope you can put up with that stray kitten. She's a feisty one, alright."

Hearing the blunt comment, the woman turned her head to give him a piece of her mind. Just before she could mouth back, Ruka immediately pulled her alongside with him before she could swear any longer.

"Thank you kindly, officers. We'll be taking our leave now." He added another smile and made a heading out towards the exit. "Well, then," he smiled as he opened the door for the young woman before him, "after you."

The brunette stared back at him in silence. She arched a skeptic brow and slowly made her way out the door. Ruka was quick to walk beside her, afraid that she might try to make a run for it.

She turned to look at him. "What are you─?"

"Please, don't worry. We'll have the honor in driving you home for the day," Ruka's charming grin assured her. He gestured towards his raven haired companion standing just beside a taxi cab.

The brunette squinted her eyes before widening them in recognition at the sight ahead of her. Natsume was seen busy finishing off his cigarette. Once catching a glimpse of his best friend, he then looked up to find a familiar and not so likeable face standing before him.

His eyes narrowed in disgust. "Ch. I can't believe this. You actually went through with it... You really rescued that street rat after all huh, Ruka?"

"Come on, Natsume. Not right now." Ruka tried to act as the mediator between the two, hoping to eliminate the bad aura that was engulfing the air. "I just got her out. Do we really want to see her dragged back in there _again?_"

"Hn. Whatever…" Natsume took one last swig, put out his cigarette, and opened the car door to the front. "I'm sitting in the front seat. You take the back." He titled his head to the side, burning his crimson eyes of hatred towards the filthy woman. "I can't stand the smell of trash."

The young woman gave a fierce glare just as bold. "Go to he─"

"Hell-O, yes, right!" Ruka quickly interjected. "It's nice to say 'hello' to the outside world once again, am I right?" He opened the passenger's side for the young woman, hoping to change the subject. "After you, ma'am."

The woman gave another skeptical look, deciphering his actions. She hesitantly made her way inside of the car with Ruka following close behind. The driver ignited the engine and trailed the taxi cab inside of the nearby traffic.

Everyone sat quiet. The brunette kept still, cautious and wary of her surroundings, but that didn't stop her from shooting a fierce glare towards an irritated Natsume. He simply stared back, a nonchalant expression plastered on his uncaring façade. The staring contest lasted at least thirty seconds with him finally giving a small "Hn," before turning his gaze out towards the window.

"So then," Ruka broke the silence, "we'd be more than happy to take you home. Where to?"

He did his best to give a bright smile towards the brunette. Of course, her lukewarm expression was not making it easy. She was practically boring holes right through his head with her intimidating aura.

"…Percy Street," she said, impassively.

"Alright, Percy Street it is." Ruka signaled to the driver for their appointed destination.

Thirty minutes had passed by.

Everyone sat still, not saying a word. It felt as if they had been practically sitting forever, passing street by street. Curious from the long amount of time, Ruka turned to look at the brunette.

"Um…ma'am? It is _Percy Street,_ correct?"

She paused a little. "Oh…well, I think I meant Kane Street."

"R-right…" Ruka signaled to the driver once again.

The tense air was beginning to make just about everyone unstable.

Like before… the ride was tiringly long. It seemed like one whole hour had passed by. Once again, Ruka turned to the distant brunette beside him. He kept his gentleman impression stuck to his warm smile.

"Ma'am? You meant _Kane Street,_I'm sure. But…I'm afraid that we haven't passed by that street just yet. Are you sure that's the right name? Could it be something else?"

The brunette shrugged and muttered, "…Juno Street."

"Ah… Okay. Driver? Please make a heading for Juno Street."

"Eh?" the driver asked aloud, "I haven't heard of that street either. But alright, whatever the lady says."

Natsume wilted in his seat and sighed. "Hell…"

**.**

A mass amount of silence engulfed the car. Two whole hours had gone by and the meter wasn't getting any cheaper. Ruka gave a sigh as he made another attempt to ask the brunette for whereabouts.

"Ma'am, it's been about two hours and… We still have not yet come across _Juno Street._"

The brunette folded her arms with a light shrug of the shoulders. "I know that."

Ruka kept his warm smile. "Well… you might have been mistaken. Maybe you had gotten the street name confused or-"

"_Aaargh_! Hell, Ruka!" Natsume exclaimed, refusing to sit idly by any longer. "None of those damn streets exist. That stupid woman was making it all up; she was lying the whole damn time." His rage filled the car. "And now, we're sitting _here_ wasting our damn time with her _damn_foolish mind games. What the hell is wrong with you, huh? You damn inconsiderate wench!"

Ruka stared back at his friend. "…Natsume─"

Next came a loud thump as the brunette pounded her fist on the back of Natsume's seat. "Stop yelling at me like you know it all! I don't wanna hear any mess outta you, I already hate your guts, you stupid jerk!"

Natsume's eyes widened as he took in the insults. He couldn't believe his ears. "What did you just… What the hell did you just…?"

"Ya heard me, moron." The woman stressed each word with a lingering taunt, "I-hate-your-guts!"

"Stupid girl!" Natsume grated out. "We bail you out with you having us drive around the whole damn city to who knows what and this is how you want to act? You don't give a damn about your foolish actions, do you?"

The brunette shrugged. "Nobody asked you to do any of that. You went out of your way for me on your own so don't take it out on me!"

That was it! Natsume found himself climbing over the passenger seat to get to the deranged woman. He suddenly had a ticking urge to strangle her neck and wring it out in his hands. "Why you stupid little piece of─"

"Hey!" Ruka found himself in the middle. "Come on you two, calm down!" He heaved a heavy sigh, keeping his calm composure as best he could. "Ma'am-"

"And can ya stop calling me that?" the brunette groaned. "My name's Mikan. Mikan Sakura."

"R-right. Sakura-san… We've been driving around for hours. Do you by any chance not have a home?"

"…No."

"Hell," Natsume breathed out as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Ruka, drop this wench off. Drop her off right now. At the nearest street. Now."

"It's not my fault," Mikan muttered, looking down embarrassed. "H-how was I supposed to react when you guys offered to take me home? What was I supposed to say? You don't even know me…"

Before Natsume could give a cold reply, Ruka made a bold offer. "Miss Sakura, if it's not too much trouble… Why don't you stay as a special guest at my home for today?"

Natsume's eyes nearly bulged out of his head. Mikan stared back in shock. "What!" both of them exclaimed in unison. He couldn't be serious…

"I mean it," Ruka continued. "After all, you're still only a young woman… Just look at the facts. You don't have a home. You're penniless and probably hungry, right?"

Right then and there a low grumbling sound could be heard. Natsume sneered. Ruka chuckled lightly. The brunette's face flushed a deep red as she looked away.

"That's… That's just too weird… I don't even know you."

Ruka smiled brightly. "Please, Sakura-san it's alright. Did you know? I happen to be a very good cook. It would be an honor to serve you something delightfully filling this evening."

At the sound of the words ''cook'' and ''filling,'' the naive woman's hazel eyes grew bright with joy. "Really? Oh, would you really? I want it ─ can I have it, please?"

Natsume's jaw almost dropped in disbelief. He couldn't believe how naïve this woman was... First thing she was yelling like a banshee, crying about how she didn't need help and the next thing ─ boom. She was a gullible fool at the mention of food.

Smiling cheerfully in return, Ruka nodded, "Of course." He signaled to the driver, "Sir, please head in the direction for Welch Street."

It didn't take long for the taxi cab to reach its destination. The cab came to a good stop right in front of an exquisite five-story abode. It was breathtakingly huge, beautifully enraptured with its garden splendor surrounding it.

Natsume was the first to get out of the car, cursing under his breath. Ruka made his way out from the side, and being the gentleman that he was, he kindly helped the awestruck brunette out as well. Her eyes took in the view. She couldn't believe that such a beautiful home existed.

"You live here?" she asked.

It was hard not to laugh at such cuteness. "Don't worry Sakura-san," Ruka chuckled, "this is just one of my many summer households, that's all. Come on, let's head inside." He turned to Natsume with a small grin. "Of course my best friend is coming too, right?"

"Well, hell Ruka. It's not like I have much of a choice." Natsume glared at the woman. "After all, you're inviting a _thief_ into your own damn home."

Ruka ignored the comment and unlocked the door. A shock of awe hit Mikan the moment she set foot inside of the house.

Her hazel eyes took in the view as she gave lingering "Ooohs," and "Aahhs" to every exquisite painting and marble décor that surrounded her.

"Wow, no way … Look at this!" She walked over to touch a glass statue carefully placed upon a marble slab. "So unreal…" She nearly squealed as she test-touched another valuable. "Ah man, this is nice. I could make a fortune by selling off this baby. *gasps* And _this!_"

She ran towards a model display of desserts. A deluxe of pastries and indulging chocolate cakes were stacked together. The famished brunette beheld the jaw dropping sight, taking in the phenomenal display.

Her mouth nearly watered, drool slipping at the mouth. "Oh… This looks incredible. I could just bite into this, it looks so real!"

Ruka laughed again. "Miss Sakura-san, you really do seem to enjoy my model display of my latest work. I made a tray of desserts much similar to that one about a year ago."

The young woman kept her eyes glued upon the sight before her. Her stomach growled like that of a starving lioness as she admired the model desserts.

"You can make something like this?" she asked in astonishment.

"Yep," Ruka replied confident, "I most certainly can. Would you like me to demonstrate right now?"

At the sudden idea of food, Mikan immediately turned towards Ruka. Her amber eyes nearly popped right out of her head. She started jumping up and down, portrayed as a little girl in a candy store while clapping her hands together.

"Yes, yes! Oh, please yes! Right now, can I get it right now? Right-"

She was cut short. The ecstatic brunette was suddenly hauled off to the side, forcefully being shoved into a nearby closet.

_Bam!_

Fed up with her loud mouth, Natsume slammed the door shut, locking it in the process. "Shut it up already," he sneered, mentally rubbing his temples in agitation. "That woman is so damn loud… It's annoying."

Thumps could be heard from behind the door. Curses were said aloud, the victim clearly upset with being locked away so mercilessly. The poor woman had no way out. Her loud swearing didn't seem to have an effect on Natsume whatsoever.

Seeming to ignore his best friend's cruel punishment, Ruka paused, placing his chin on the top of his knuckles in thought.

"Natsume... Don't you think it's really odd?" he asked.

Natsume sighed wearily, clearly too pissed off to withhold casual conversation. "If you mean this crazy thing that you just brought inside your own house, then yeah. I find it _odd_… and stupid."

"Not that. I meant the twist of fate," Ruka muttered. He seemed to be intrigued with the situation as he said, "This woman… Don't you find it strange that we happened to run into her more than just once for a coincidence? She's a stunningly complicated and lively young thing, don't you agree?"

"Ruka. Is she complicated? Yeah. But, stunning? Hell no." Natsume snapped his fingers as if stumbling upon a bright idea. "We should take her back. Here I'll go call the cops."

"Hold on, now," the blonde countered, "I'm serious… Think about it, Natsume."

Tired of playing mind games, Natsume groaned and slouched lazily upon the living room couch. "Fine… Get to the point already, Ruka."

Ruka shrugged and smiled. "This girl really amuses me. I mean, I've never seen such a poor and helpless creature succumb this low in behavior… It must have been fate for us to have met her more than once." At that moment, a sudden idea popped into his mind. He turned to his best friend, a smile of amusement playing at his lips. "Why don't we try our fate with the bit of a game?"

Natsume arched a skeptic brow. "What the hell are you getting at, Ruka?"

"Work with me on this, Natsume. We'll try this out with a bit of humor. Let's make a bet… to see if this wild stray we picked up can become an actual modest woman." Ruka's smug grin widened as he finished with, "And you're going to be the one to make it happen."

**.**

Wow. Natsume is so mean, don't you think? Hot n Cold just the way I like him.

Gracias for reading. Stay Blessed~ Don't forget to review!


	4. Placing Bets

**Disclaimer:**Higuchi-sensei has all the dibs. The story is mine.

**.**

C.P.- "What about your boast…that you could pass her off as a duchess at the Embassy Ball?

I'll bet you all the expenses of the experiment that you can't do it."

P.H.- "It's almost irresistible. I'll takie it! I'll make a duchess of this draggle-tailed guttersnipe."

-Colonel Pickering, Professor Henry Higgins. My Fair Lady (1964)

**Chapter 4: Placing Bets**

**.**

"Let's make a bet to see if this wild stray we picked up can become an actual modest woman." Ruka's smug grin widened as he finished with, "And you're going to be the one to make it happen."

It took a while for those words to sink in. Clearly, Natsume didn't get the joke, and if it was a joke, it damn sure wasn't funny.

His crimson eyes widened as he stared at his blonde haired best friend after that ludicrous statement. He gave a small laugh in disbelief and then jeered, "Ruka this joke's not funny …"

The handsome blonde tried to hold back a laugh. He kept calm about the situation, unlike his friend, who was obviously not happy with the taunting amusement.

"Natsume, I'm dead serious. I mean, come on am I the type to say something crazy like that so easily?"

No… Natsume knew Ruka better. He was a dignified bachelor who was beyond wise for his age. Given that he also happened to be a world class chef that took everything with stride should have been reason enough for him to believe that Ruka was serious. Still, if he thought about it… his idiot of a best friend just had to be toying with his emotions.

Natsume smirked inwardly. Yes, that just had to be it. There's no way that this guy was bent on issuing such a nonsensical proposal. Well, if his friend was going to do him like that, then all he'd have to do was sit back, relax, and enjoy the 'ride' for a good while.

"Alright then," Natsume said folding both his hands behind the back of his head. He positioned himself comfortably upon the couch, propping both of his legs upon the coffee table. "Humor me. I'm listening."

"Alright," Ruka said, getting into the zone. "Ever since we've come across that young woman, I just couldn't shake this feeling. It was like a feeling of… a feeling of…"

"Disgust?" Natsume snorted.

"W-well, yeah... But other than that, I found her to be intriguingly interesting."

Oh hell, this crap was ridiculous. Hearing such promising comments about such a vile woman made Natsume all but laugh.

_He's practically delude, _he thought to himself.

"There's more to it," Ruka continued on excitedly. "After we ran into her again back at that café, I just knew that there was something in this woman. Something… I don't know something amazing. I mean she has a bad use of grammar when it comes to speaking, but in all honesty, I can see something promising within her."

Natsume snickered at that last sentence. "And what would that be? Enlighten me. _Please_."

Ruka placed a finger to his chin, pondering for a good moment. "I'm…not really sure about that just yet. But I know it's something worthwhile." He turned his blue pupils towards the young heir and grinned. "And it's got something to do with you, too."

"Oh yeah? I'm still waiting for the big 'pop' to this ordeal."

Ruka laughed at the sardonically dry tone. "Natsume… Dude, come on. You're one of the most sought after bachelors throughout the world, granted that you also happen to be a real ladies man when it comes to women. Your intelligence precedes others for someone at your age, not to mention your maturity level in crucial situations. But… you could learn to work on your short temper."

Natsume shrugged indifferently, "I know all that. I just don't see where you're going with this crap, Ruka."

"Alright," Ruka chuckled, shoving both hands into his pockets. "I want you, Natsume Hyuuga, a richly famous model and young heir to take on a project. Transform Miss Sakura, a terribly poor woman with no morals into a fine young lady. I want you to transform her into a lady that will have men begging on their knees for her." He cleared his throat and quickly added, "Plus… she has to live with you for six months, and be taught properly from you as her tutor."

Natsume's jaw twitched as if he were restraining back a load full of sailor-mouth swears. Okay… _now_ he just had to be joking. Clearly, this guy was just playing around. Six months? Six_ months_ with a dirty foul-mouthed creature in his home?

_Thump! Thump!_

Suddenly, the loud pounds coming from behind the closet door came about.

"Hey! You jerk! Get me outta here, get me out, I said!" The muffles of intense swearing could be heard at that moment. Apparently, the subject of topic didn't like where she had been placed.

With the click of his tongue, Natsume gestured his head towards the door. "You mean that wild cat just beyond that door over there?" he asked dully.

Ruka's eyes grew wide with worry. Suddenly remembering the poor girl that had been cruelly locked away, he strode hurriedly towards the door and released a flustered looking brunette. Having been set free, the woman dashed out of the closet and was quick to lock a malevolent scowl upon the one responsible.

"You jerk!" she pointed at him accusingly. "You did that to me on purpose. Apologize!"

"Hell," was the sneering reply from Natsume. He pointed a thumb at the annoying woman. "Again, I'm asking you Ruka… You want this wild beast _tamed?"_

Seeing as how she had so rudely been ignored, the brunette released a tenaciously low growl. Next she began throwing a tantrum as she started running amok about the house.

"Apologize!" she demanded.

Trying to hold back his bewildered expression, Ruka continued on with the conversation. "Y-yeah well, like I was saying... Miss Sakura is to be transformed into a modest young woman and be taught how to use proper etiquette." He had a bit of trouble saying the last word of his sentence as he watched the enraged brunette.

It was hard to keep focus while knowing that a mad woman was running aimlessly about the room. Mikan turned her attention to anything fragile and breakable. She was like a rotten child who couldn't function after hearing the word, "No."

Her childish demeanor only sickened Natsume more. His eyes squinted in detest at the sight, utterly disgusted by such adolescence.

"You're kidding me," he said in a low, dry tone.

_Crash!___A priceless vase shattered into pieces.

"I'm telling you Natsume," Ruka continued, trying to ignore the blood crashing sound of an expensive heirloom. "I'm dead serious about this. This could turn out to be a really fun experiment."

Still unconvinced, Natsume ran a hand through his raven tresses with a depleted groan. "Let me say this again… You want _me_" **_Crash!_**__"─to take that vile thing into my own home… and turn her into a 'modest' woman? Seriously?"

_Crash!___Another valued treasure crashed to the floor in shattered pieces.

Ruka slightly winced but still managed a wistful grin. "That's exactly right. And wait, you haven't heard the best part yet."

Natsume shifted in his position. "What the hell are you planning, Ruka?"

"This bet will be made to see if you can transform that girl into a real woman and…" the blonde's cerulean blue orbs sparkled amusedly as he finished with, "to see if you have what it takes to disclaim your role like the Casanova charmer that you are."

_Crash!_

"…Which means?"

Ruka paused for a lingering effect. "To see if you can fall in love."

"Ha!" Natsume bellowed out, abruptly rising up from off of the couch.

That was enough amusement for now. The joke was long gone. He could no longer see any sense of humor with such a ludicrous statement.

Just what exactly was his best friend trying to do? Love? For someone like _the_ Natsume Hyuuga to fall for something as nugatory as 'love' was something to be said and done when he was no longer rich… and that sure as hell was never going to happen. He was at the top of his game, gaining money along with fame, and there millions of women at his beck and call if he desired. What the hell could he do with something so insignificant like love?

"That's a load of bull and you know it, Ruka," Natsume exhausted. "Like hell I would go through with such a stupid act. Do I look that easy to you? Are you playing mind games with me?"

Suddenly, the sound of two porcelain dishes crashing to the floor interrupted their conversation. Still throwing a mindless tantrum, the brunette reached for another glass heirloom as she lifted it up for another throw.

"Apologize!" she demanded at Natsume.

_Crash!_

"Damn it, you crazy woman!" Refusing to ignore her childish antics any longer, Natsume roared at the mad woman in belligerence. His red eyes were fit to kill as he snapped out, "Would you stop it with that stupid crap? Stop acting like this is your damn house and sit down somewhere!"

The brunette glowered in response after being so rudely talked down to. "I won't stop," she defied. "I won't stop, not until you apologize! I want a damn good apology right─"

She didn't get a chance to finish. Right then and there, her hazel eyes widened in fear at the sight of an infuriated Natsume as he rampaged his way towards the ballistic woman. His smoldering, red eyes flared like that of a devil.

"Ah!" Mikan shrieked, fearing for her life as she found herself being chased about the room.

"Come here, you little wench!" Natsume reached out for her neck, but slightly missed nearly tripping face forward to the floor.

Mikan evaded his grasp easily. She stumbled her way over to a handsome blonde, cowering behind him in fear as if he was her initial guardian.

"Don't," she pleaded while pointing. "Don't let that horribleman come near me!"

Ruka really did feel pity for the poor thing. Charms and looks wasn't all that Natsume had on him. He could be an unruly barbarian when he wanted to be. Strangely enough, he found himself acting as her protector and responded with a soft smile.

"Don't you worry, Miss Sakura," he reassured her while patting her back gently. "I won't let that scary man hurt you in any way. Trust me."

Natsume sneered at the sight. "The only thing scary around here is that disgustingly low piece of trash right beside you, Ruka."

Mikan flared her nostrils. "You really were trying to hurt me weren't ya? I'm a woman and you tried to hurt me. You've got no right!"

Natsume sent her a spiteful glare. "I'm beginning to think that you weren't born a _woman_ at all…" He turned to Ruka, agitation evident within his scowl. "And you seriously want me to take this thing back to my own home?"

Ruka grinned sheepishly and knelt down beside the brunette. "That's enough now, Miss Sakura," he spoke gently. "No more fighting, do you understand? If you keep this up, you won't be getting any of the chocolate double-fudge that's awaiting you."

Mikan was about to retort but stopped short as her face lit up in anticipation. "I… can get me some chocolate?" she asked innocently, forgetting her recent ordeal.

"Of course you can," Ruka promised. "But only if you promise to be a good girl." He helped her up to a standing position and guided her along towards the kitchen. "Now let's go get a nice piece of chocolate fudge and settle down quietly, okay?"

**.**

_"__Disgusting__…"_

That one jeering word of distaste evaded Natsume's lips easily. He sat upon a stool at the kitchen counter, arms folded over his chest while glaring at the pesky sight before him.

Mikan on the other hand, couldn't care less about his shrewd comments. The happy-go-lucky brunette was cheerily satisfied with her share of double-chocolate fudge. She dined in, bouncing and legs kicking underneath the table in content. Her bliss of happiness was a taunting presence for Natsume.

Ruka came to sit next to his friend and gave a nudge to his arm. He smiled while chuckling, "It's amazing as to how the quizzical magic of chocolate can satisfy a woman."

"No," Natsume scoffed. "It's amazing as to how you can put up with satisfying such a filthy _quizzical_ pest. You're too humanistic, Ruka."

"I want more!" the brunette suddenly exclaimed. "More chocolate fudge, please and thank ya." She gestured with the hold of her plate, indicating that there was nothing left.

"You'll probably have to wait a bit more, Miss Sakura," Ruka smiled. "I'm afraid that's all the fudge that I had left. Unfortunately, I wasn't the one that made that batch."

The brunette cocked her head to the side. "You didn't make it? So where'd it come from then, eh?"

"Good question," Ruka chuckled. "It came from a very good friend of mine who happens to own a very popular bakery. Tobita le' Gateau. You've heard of that name, right?"

Mikan paused for a moment. She gave a snap of her fingers after hearing the familiar title. "Oh yeah, that famous shop! I used to catch fresh bait from that place all the time. It's the best bakery in the city so far!"

Ruka arched a brow. "Wait… Y-you mean to say that you would actually _steal_ from that bakery…Miss Sakura?"

"Mm-hmm!" Mikan smiled back as if she were proud. "Lots and lots of times!"

"Hn. Filthy street rat," Natsume muttered begrudgingly under his breath. Hearing something like that coming from such a pauperized creature really shouldn't surprise him.

"Hey, hey," Mikan announced, tapping at the table for the blonde's attention. "I wanna go there, my good man. I wanna go to that bakery that you were talking about. They don't close up till almost midnight. Take me there now, my good man." She presented a beaming smile like that on angel.

Looking at such innocence, Ruka couldn't help but smile back. "You know, it's alright for you to call me Ruka."

"Ruka, my good man," the brunette continued. "I wanna go. Take me there, eh? Take me please?"

Ruka smiled weakly. "I'm afraid that we'll have to wait on that, Sakura-san…" He rubbed the back of his head nervously before turning to his raven haired best friend and whispered, "Natsume, follow me to the living room for a sec." He stopped short to send another smile towards the brunette. "Please give us a few minutes, Sakura-san. It won't take long, I promise."

Mikan arched a skeptic brow. After watching the two disappear, she was quick to leave her seat and followed close behind. She silently tip toed her way into the living room, stopping short behind the wall while being discreetly quiet as possible.

Seeing that they were alone, Ruka turned to his best friend and sighed. "Natsume, come on. At least take up this offer."

Natsume groaned. "Ruka, if this is still about that stupid bet then I don't want to take any part of it."

"But you didn't even let me finish," the blonde persisted. "Aren't you interested about what will be placed on the line for our bet?"

Natsume was just about to speak until that last sentence came about. Placed on the line? That was something that definitely caught his attention.

Suddenly taking interest of the subject, he raised a derisive brow in response. "I'm listening…"

Seeing that his friend was finally willing to listen, Ruka folded both arms over his chest and grinned. "I'll bet you, Natsume Hyuuga, to see if you can transform Sakura-san into a real woman within just six months. And I'm making a bet to see if you will find yourself falling madly in love with a woman of your distaste."

Once again, Natsume had to stifle back a haughty laugh at the last sentence. "Okay, I've heard this one already. And just what do I get out of this if I happen to pull this one off, _without _falling in love?"

Ruka paused for a moment. "If by some miracle you happen to win… then I'll consent into doing your bidding, whatever it may be. I will…" He gave another brief pause before snapping his fingers. "I will do something entirely humiliating ─ something ridiculously asinine in front of the media. Something that will probably put my career as an Iron Chef completely at risk due to embarrassment, whatever you want. And…"

"And?" Natsume probed further.

"…I will put up an offer of one hundred-thousand dollars. No go-backs."

Now at this, Natsume had to smirk. His gullible best friend was actually serious. He let the words sink in for a moment, thinking crucially about the bold offer. "Fine," he replied nonchalant, "but, I have another proposition to add on top of that."

Ruka gulped, a bit caught off guard. "Y-you have another offer?" he asked.

Well, he should have seen this one coming…. This was to be expected of his best friend who loved reining supreme. His vainglorious ego was not one to give in so easily unless there was a special catch.

"That's right," Natsume said with a click of his tongue. "I want you, Ruka Nogi, to agree to your suggested proposal. And if I happen to win…" His lips curled into a wicked grin. "I want you to admit your love to Hotaru Imai... on live national television, while you carry out your humiliating display."

Ruka's blue pupils nearly popped right out of their sockets. "Dude… You've got to be kidding!"

"Ruka, you should know that I'm always one for risks…if it has something worth risking for that is. Still," Natsume sauntered dully, snorting under his breath, "I can't say that I'm willing to put up with that ugly woman's foolish antics for six whole months. But hey, you've got my attention… I'm bored with the original anyway, so what the hell."

The poor blonde was still in his own world of shock. "C-confess to your c-cousin, Hotaru... on national television…!" Ruka stammered out.

Natsume shrugged. "What? It's not like you've never confessed to her before, right? She'll love seeing her favorite blonde do something that will ruin him for the entire world to see. It's in her nature."

"But─"

"No buts, Ruka. Either you take it or leave it. That's my final offer."

Ruka held his silence. Was he ready to put something so important as his pride and love life on the line? Still, if he thought long and hard about it… Natsume couldn't actually pull off a win-win situation in the near future… right?

He tussled at his bangs for a good moment and closed his eyes before opening them with certainty. "Deal," he said, extending out a hand while keeping his bold grin. "You're on Mr. Casanova. But if _you _happen to lose, then your punishment will be the same: pure shame and public humiliation."

Natsume smirked in return. He shook Ruka's hand and said, "I don't go back on my word. I'll have that wild cat tamed."

Doing her best to keep silent behind the wall, Mikan snorted under her breath after hearing the conversation. She sneered at the thought.

_What the hell are they talking about? Just who does that jerk think he can tame?_

"Oh, and another thing," Natsume prompted boringly, "Although, I do plan on winning this bet… there's something that I want to finalize."

Ruka raised a brow. "And what would that be?"

A smug grin thinned at Natsume's lips as his dark, crimson eyes glistened with the utmost confidence and assuring pride. "I'm going to make this crystal clear to you, Ruka. You're betting against me to see if I can actually tame that woman, and to see if I will really submit foolishly to the 'joys' of true love. But I'll tell you this now. I've got no desire _whatsoever_ in succumbing to something so stupid, especially with that ugly, petty woman that you so willingly brought home."

Mikan's jaw dropped low after hearing those coldhearted words. The cruelty of it all! Was he seriously insulting her?

"She's a vile thing with a foul mouth and no morals," Natsume jeered out as if having caught hold of a repugnant odor. "Not only does she suck at language grammar, but her status is low and she has got to be the ugliest little thing alive in the history of women." He sneered while finishing off the facts. "Not to mention that her chest is completely flat. I've seen better women with a filled-out chest more than _that_ thing."

"That rotten _dirt_ of a jerk," Mikan muttered quietly to herself. She bit back her tongue, doing her best not to cuss up a storm as she tip-toed quietly back to the kitchen.

"Fair enough," Ruka sighed, rolling his eyes at his friend's confident demeanor. "But if I had to be honest, I can't wait to see the infamous Natsume Hyuuga fall to his knees for the jubilance of true love."

Natsume responded with a small, supercilious grin and snorted at the thought. _Like hell__that's ever going to happen…_

The two bachelors stared each other down in silence as the unshakeable auras of their overweening confidence surrounded them. They had just made a bet by putting their very careers on the line as well as their pride and dignity. It would be the young Hyuuga heir going up against the world class chef. There was no turning back now.

The dead silence was then interrupted from the loud vibrations of a phone.

"Oh, hang on," Ruka said while reaching into his side pocket. He pulled out his blue blackberry and answered calmly, "Hello? Yes, this is Ruka Nogi." His blue orbs lit up in surprise. "Really? At what time did you say? Oh… yes, that's fine. Okay then, it's no problem. Yes, I'll be over there right away." He ended the call with a small sigh and looked at Natsume. "That was one of my patisseries. Some stuff came up and I'm needed at the shop pronto."

Natsume stared at him in disbelief. "Right now? You're planning to leave right now?"

"I'm afraid so," Ruka said, walking over to a nearby cupboard and pulled out a pair of car keys. "I need to leave right away. It turns out a well-known critic is there to interview my latest works. Oh!" Reaching out to grab the handle, Ruka stopped short just in front of the door before making a slight pivot turn. "Sakura-san?" he called running back into the kitchen. "Sakura-san, are you still here?"

Mikan turned to look at him, pretending that she hadn't been listening in on the conversation. "Are you taking me to the bakery now?" she asked him.

"Sorry, Sakura-san but I'm afraid that'll have to wait. And well, I just wanted to let you know that something urgent came up. I hope you'll be okay with being alone here by yourself with Natsume."

That one single sentence sent the brunette abruptly arising from her seat. "You mean that you're gonna leave me here with that conceited jerk!"

"I'm terribly sorry, Sakura-san," Ruka apologized, rubbing the back of his head. "But this is really big news for me as a professional chef. I promise I'll make it up to you as soon as I return." Giving an apologetic smile once more, he briskly made his way for the front door.

"W-wait a sec," Mikan stuttered as she followed him from close behind.

"Oh! One more thing," Ruka exclaimed with a snap of his fingers. "Natsume, hold off for a little while if you can help it and don't blow a fuse. We'll be sure to _'seal the deal'_once I get back. And we'll discuss things over with Sakura-san as well, alright?"

Natsume grunted in return. "Just don't take too damn long, Ruka."

Ruka nodded while opening the door and waved off, "Alright. I'll try to finish up as soon as possible. Be back soon!" With that said, he took his leave, swiftly closing the door behind him.

There was nothing left but an awkward silence. Two figures were left to stand idly by as if a hush fell over the room.

Then suddenly, it happened... Hazel brown met Crimson red. Natsume shifted his cold red eyes over to the spiteful brunette, burning a resent glare in her direction. Mikan slightly flinched by the malice within his dark orbs but retained her composure with a quirking brow. She opened her mouth to speak but was cut off immediately.

"Just so you know," Natsume interrupted sternly, breaking the quietness, "I'm not too thrilled about having to stay here alone with you either. But for right now, suck it up. I don't want to see your face until Ruka gets back. Do you understand me, little girl?"

Wrinkling her nose in disgust, Mikan placed both hands on either side of her hips with the stomp of her foot. "I got those words just fine! Don't act so high and mighty." After giving a quick stick of her tongue, she whipped her nose in the air and decided to stride her way back into the kitchen.

Natsume couldn't help but snort at her childish adolescence. Really… that foul woman was more than enough to bring upon a never-ending migraine. He wondered how long he had to wait it out until Ruka got back.

His brows creased into a frown as he begrudgingly muttered, "Ch. All because of a stupid interview…"

It was at that particular moment that those words began to settle in. Pondering over the sentence once more, Natsume's eyes widened, slowly coming back into memorization.

_Wait… Interview?_

"Damn!"

Without a moment's haste, he ran over towards the coffee table while pulling out his wallet in the process. Feeling the anticipation gradually rising, he dumped just about everything out as he scourged through the contents. His red orbs widened then settled at a familiar sight, finally settling on what he was looking for.

Natsume sighed in relief as he pulled out a mahogany colored card with gold inscriptions. "This sheer dumb luck for a day," he murmured under his breath. "I can't believe I forgot something so simple. My damn interview was supposed to be today, damn it all." He pulled out his cell phone and dialed the instructed number given.

He rubbed his temples in agitation as he waited for the other line to pick up. This was turning how to be one hell of a disaster. Never in all of his years throughout his career had he missed something as crucial as an interview.

"All because of that damn woman..." he growled lowly while heading up the stairwell.

Hearing the trail of footsteps descending upstairs, Mikan poked her head around the corner of the kitchen. She quirked a brow, looking left and right before finally deciding to make a move. Sensing that there was no one around, the sneaky brunette quietly tip toed her way towards the coffee table. Her eyes widened in surprise at the sight of a red leather wallet. A small smile thinned at her lips as she stared at the vulnerable prize set before her.

The sudden trail of footsteps could be heard as they scurried across the hall. "Damn it all. Why the hell won't they pick up?" a burly voice spoke aloud.

_Bam!___The slamming of a door could be heard just from upstairs.

Mikan jerked her head up at the balcony and sighed in relief after witnessing no one was there. Good… the jerk was still too preoccupied with his phone call. Smiling beside herself she scooped up the leather wallet within her hands and proceeded with caution towards the front door.

She couldn't help but grin to herself. The thought of having money to buy a supply of chocolate-double fudge made her taste buds sing as she skipped lightly on her toes.

Being discreetly quiet, she spared one last glance back upstairs. Seeing no sign of raven hair or crimson eyes, she concluded that the coast was clear and swiftly made her way out towards the door. After her succeeded attempt for theft, she swiftly made her way out towards the door, humming a bouncy tune to herself.

Keeping that same happy smile to her face, she tossed the wallet in her hands while merrily singing, "Chocolates, chocolates, for me to eat."

**.**

If you are wondering why Mikan has such a… annoyingly bad use of grammar, just remember that she has been brought up in poverty. In this story, she doesn't have much of an educational background and therefore, she does not speak properly.

Plus, she's one to speak her mind since she's endured a lot in her life, but you'll know why later on. Sound good? ;)

…And the fun begins.


	5. I'll Have You Tamed

**Disclaimer:**Don't own GA or My Fair Lady.

**.**

P.H.- "Eliza, you are to stay here for the next six months learning to speak beautifully..."

**-**Professor Henry Higgins. My Fair Lady (1964)

Chapter 5: I'll Have You Tamed

**.**

Fingers tapped at the flat base of a mahogany desk.

There was only silence. Nothing but the constant ticking of the clock could be heard.

A pair of tired crimson eyes caught the time of the mid-afternoon day: _6:15._

Damn…

It was already 6:15pm at this very hour. Natsume tussled at his raven hair, sighing as he sat diligently still in his chair. He kept his other hand glued to his phone, holding it to his ear.

There was a stirring silence at the other end of the line. Patience was truly a virtue.

Then, suddenly, it happened...

"Mr. Hyuuga?"

Natsume immediately stood up at the mention of his last name. "Yeah ─ It's me, is this Sophea?"

A giggle could be heard on the other end. "Yes. I'm very happy that you had the time to call. I'm taking it that you had a very busy day, huh?"

"Hell," Natsume sighed through his side of the line, "you don't even wanna know the start of it. I'm glad that they were able to get a hold to you on the line. But, I uh… wanted to apologize on my behalf for this morning."

"Apologize? Do you mean for missing today's interview?"

"Yeah, that's right," Natsume groaned tiredly. "Today was so stupid; I don't know how to even begin with how sorry I am. I've never missed an interview in my whole career." He gritted his teeth in frustration. "All because of a little _pest,_I missed something so important. My entire reputation is on the line with each interview! I can't believe this happened."

"You know, Mr. Hyuuga it's quite alright, really. I can understand how busy you probably─"

"I've messed up big time," Natsume emphasized as he waved his hand in the air. "I've been stuck to look after an ugly pet _dog_ for my best friend, and messed up big time by forgetting that I had an interview. How could I miss something so stupid?"

"Really, Mr. Hyuuga, it's alright─"

"I hate this damn day," the model continued ranting. He held his phone to his ear as he paced back and forth across the room. Thoughts of a certain brunette seemed to set him off internally. "That damn woman and her damn foolish mind games."

"Mr. Hyuuga, why don't we─"

"That inconsiderate and little child for a woman… She's going to have to make up for this." Natsume pounded his fist against the edge of the desk. "I'll make her repay me for this crap!"

"Mr. Hyuuga!"

"…Yeah?"

Sophea sighed with great relief. "Good. I've got your attention. You know, Mr. Hyuuga, it's not that big of a deal."

"Of course it is," Natsume protested, "this mess should've never happened. I never missed something as simple as an─"

"Mr. Hyuuga, we can always reschedule you know? I've been waiting for my special chance to meet you… personally, anyway. I'm not that busy of a woman. Besides," the woman giggled through the phone, "I'm sure I can make _lots_ of time for a handsome man like you. It would be my _pleasure_."

Natsume couldn't help but smirk. Such compliments only added fuel to his already proud ego. He knew that he was one hell of a catch. But ─ Oh! How he loved it when he got praise for being so damn attractive when he didn't even have to try.

"You could do that?" he asked turning on the seductive charm in his voice.

"Yes, of course! After all, who would ever be stupid enough to turn down an interview from Natsume Hyuuga?"

"Hm, you've got a point."

"So then, it's settled. I will schedule our next interview tomorrow morning at 8:00am. We'll meet at Starbucks Café, just like we were scheduled earlier. Deal?"

A long amount of silence came from Natsume's end. "…That early?" he asked unwillingly.

Sophea chuckled. "I'm afraid so. It's the best one that I can get in for you to make up. A little coffee in the morning should help, right?"

Natsume ran a hand through his hair and muttered, "Fine. It will have to do, I guess."

"Alright then, Mr. Hyuuga. I'll see you soon. Oh! I almost forgot." Sophea giggled playfully. "Make sure to give that "damn woman" my regards. I'm really envious. She's a lucky girl, tonight."

_Click!_The call was done.

Natsume's brows creased together at the last sentence. "What the hell was that supposed to mean?"

He snorted, placing his phone back into his pocket. The thoughts of a dirty brunette making kissing faces at him formed in the back of his head. A sudden chill caught him. He shuttered, disgusted by the thought.

"I know she doesn't think that I was planning to hook up with _that_thing…" He started massaging his forehead with a tired sigh.

He so badly needed to let loose. This Friday just wasn't willing to work with him. Usually, he'd just suck it up and head on out to a club. Then at a later time, he'd unleash his frustrations while enjoying the pleasurable company of a beautiful woman. But, today just wasn't the "day" for any escapade.

Natsume groaned. He had somehow been cunningly lured into the idea of looking after a not-so-beautiful woman. Naturally, he should have found himself refusing the idea. But like always, his blonde-haired best friend always seemed to have a way with words to make him go and change his mind.

So, now… he found himself stuck in a sticky situation, involving a dirty brunette who only seemed to bring bad luck anytime that she was around.

"Damn," Natsume muttered. "I need a cigarette."

He made his way out of the room, shoving both hands into his pockets and headed downstairs. He sighed to himself in thought.

_It would be best to smoke outside. Ruka hates the scent of tobacco…_

Much to his surprise, there wasn't a sign of auburn hair or a hint of swearing. There was an odd silence about the area downstairs. It was…strange. There should've at least been some sort of sign or symbol that a foul-mouthed street rat was roaming about the place.

Natsume arched an inquisitive brow. "It's quiet…" He stood still for what seemed like ten seconds, and then frowned. "Too quiet…"

He suddenly found himself searching the area for any sign of the filthy woman. He headed towards the kitchen in hopes of finding a filthy brunette sorting her grubby little fingers throughout the refrigerator.

He poked his head around the wall of the kitchen and snorted. Nothing.

Not a single sign of her was there. Next, he headed towards the dining area where Ruka's model works of desserts were placed. Again, the spot was empty.

"That damn woman's gotta be around here someplace," he muttered to himself.

Natsume made it his mission to find the woman, beginning to have a sense of panic. If she went and walked off all on her own, then it was good-bye to his share of the bet. It would be good-bye forever to his pride and reputation. Frustration started to build inside him. It never occurred to him how big of a role that the woman was actually beginning to play in his career.

"Crap," Natsume muttered. "Where the hell could that woman…"

He stopped short. His eyes wandered off towards the coffee table in the living room area. He took notice that there seemed to be something wrong with the "big picture." Something…was missing.

Something very important was supposed to have been placed on that table. Strangely enough, he just couldn't seem to pin-point exactly _what_ was missing. He walked over to the table, studying every inch of it.

Yes... Something was definitely wrong here, and he didn't like the feeling at all. A dirty woman had gone and disappeared on him…and now…

_Beep!_

A sudden vibration caused him to shift from away his thoughts.

Natsume sighed out an agitated while pulling out his phone and studied the screen.

_Four new messages?_

Curious, he found himself opening the contents and after taking a good look he gasped, "The hell?" His ruby eyes widened. "What…the hell is this!"

From:9126

**Sent- 7/11/13**

This is to show the total amount for Acct:**55467877**

The total amount in which you purchased**:**

$25.00- Tobita le' Gateau

$65.56- Tobita le' Gateau

$36.00- Tobita le' Gateau

$65.56- Tobita le' Gateau

Your Total Amount: $192.21. Thank you for your services.

Natsume read over the screen once more, confirming the sent message.

His brows furrowed together as he gathered his thoughts.

_Tobita le' Gateau… the bakery?_

The text was obviously a reminder from his bank account on what he had recently spent. Just what in the world was going on?

It wasn't the amount that seemed to set Natsume off. No, hardly having spent roughly about $200.00 wasn't even close to breaking a sweat. What frustrated him was the fact that he hadn't had the chance to even _spend_ roughly $200.00 at all during this time.

"What in the world…I didn't spend my credit card at all today!" He started pacing back and forth, burning his irritated glare into the screen of his phone. "What the... Who could've used my card to do something stupid like this? Who would…?"

At that moment, the words hit him. Slowly, he turned his gaze back to the coffee table. Right then and there, he calculated what had been missing all along. _Two_ things had been missing all along… He knew _exactly_ who would be so low to go on a sudden shopping spree at a bakery.

Natsume gritted his teeth. After muttering a few swears under his breath, he briskly strode his way towards the front door, slamming it shut has he stormed his way out. He was quick to make a move near the street, ignoring the chilling wind from the cold air. With the wave of his hand, he ushered for a nearby taxi.

_Scrreeech!_

The taxi cab pulled up just beside the curb. Natsume didn't waste a single second as he slid his way inside.

"Head for the closest street towards Tobita le' Gateau," he ordered authoritatively.

The driver nodded in return, "Yes, sir!"

Natsume exasperated a heavy sigh. This was definitely becoming one hell of a day. He had found himself getting involved with one thieving woman with no good looks or manners.

First, he nearly gets himself killed by a speeding tow-truck, is forced to bail out the filthy street rat, and now, he was off to actually _search_ for her in hopes of retrieving back his wallet.

He clenched his fists tight. Just wait until he would get his hands on that wench… He seethed under his breath.

"That filthy little street _rat!_"

**.**

Meanwhile, beside a nearby bus station just outside of Tobita le' Gateau…

A certain little brunette was sitting on a bench indulging to a bag of chocolate double-fudge. Three other medium-sized bags of dessert deluxe were placed on either side of her. The lingering aroma of freshly-baked chocolate cake and other chocolate sensations was like a heavenly scent for her nose.

She was humming her own bouncy tune, happily content with her share of bliss. "There's lots of chocolates for me to eat."

Really, she had to congratulate herself on a job well done. She smiled at the red leather wallet sitting in her lap. It felt so good to have the 'feel' of money within her grasp. And the best part? It came from a conceited, cold-hearted brute…free of charge, of course.

Who'd ever thought that it would be this easy?

She snickered and laughed. "Serves him right."

She licked her lips, taking in the fill of the lingering chocolate delight. It would have been even more fulfilling if she didn't feel that there was a stirring presence sneaking up just behind her. She seemed to brush off the feeling, and resumed to enjoying her treat.

There was a long pause of silence coming from the figure, who was now glaring daggers at the back of Mikan's head. A silk-like and husky voice whispered closely to her ear.

"…Having fun?"

Mikan nodded in delight, "Yes!"

Then suddenly…she stopped. Right then and there…it hit her. She ceased from plopping another piece of chocolate fudge to her mouth. Freezing on the spot, her eyes opened wide.

She could practically feel the intimidating aura of hatred stemming from the figure just behind her. It brought upon an eerie feeling, causing the hairs of her arms to stand on edge.

Mikan slightly tilted her head to the side. She didn't know why the hell she decided to face the person behind her. In doing so, her heart skipped a beat as she gasped. She gulped. Yep…it was bad.

She found herself staring face to face with a pair of malicious, crimson eyes. Time stood still as she witnessed an angry Natsume glaring down upon her.

Oh, she decided that he was damn well pissed alright.

Natsume stared at her for what seemed like twelve seconds. He smirked viciously, a crooked grin playing at his lips.

"Heh," he started, "so…here _you_ are. I rode all around this damn street just to find you. And now I finally caught the street rat."

He clenched his fists tight, restraining himself from moving. It was as if he were trying to decide whether or not he should consider the idea of hitting a woman.

"You _damn_pest." His voice was rasp, lethal even. "You had the guts to go and take _my_ wallet."

An evil aura surrounded him. Mikan swallowed through a dry throat. Okay…there had to be two things that she could try to make work.

One: Try to convince the guy that she was desperate and was planning on returning his wallet back to him. She studied his body language. His tall, lean body was set in offense mode. He had his fists clutched tight. She considered the second thing.

Two: Say "What the hell," and make a clean run for it. Mikan returned her gaze back to Natsume's. His eyes held her in place-warning her not to make a move. She flinched back.

Her mind came to a good decision. _That one, then…_

Mikan slowly stood up, clutching the wallet in her hands. She released her goody bag, ignoring the spill of chocolate fudge that dropped to the ground. Natsume studied her every move. His crimson eyes didn't miss a step.

Coming to realization as to what she was about to do next, he scowled.

"Wench. You better not… Don't you dare─"

Too late.

Without warning, Mikan dashed off making a quick getaway. She took off with the wallet in her hands running towards the opposite side of the street. Natsume was seething with rage. Didn't he just warn her not to do something so stupid?

"Damn!" No choice but to run after her.

There was no way in hell that he was going to let her run off free with his wallet. Not to mention that she happened to be the 'prized possession' of his bet made with Ruka. If she was let loose, then it was goodbye to his proud reputation for good.

"Like hell, I'll let you escape!" He made it his mission to keep pace with the thieving brunette.

Mikan didn't stop for an instant. However, her share of luck was about to change.

Just when she had thought that she had lost him, it backfired. Like a fool, she had to go and make a small detour on the other end of the street. She ran into a nearby alleyway facing nothing but a brick wall and mentally cursed to herself. There was no escape.

"Got you," said a hostile growl from behind.

The brunette slowly turned around to see an angry Natsume just a few feet away from her. Her hazel eyes widened in horror.

Natsume smirked. "You filthy little wench," he breathed out between pants. He started to take a few steps towards her. "Hn, you've got a hell lot of guts to actually run from me. Did you really think that I would just let you go that easily? Did you really think I wouldn't find you?"

Mikan didn't know what to do. All of a sudden she just felt so helpless. Unsure of what to decide on next, she tried to coax him.

"Here," she threw the red leather wallet at his direction. It landed in a nearby puddle of mud. "Take it! I wasn't gonna steal it or nothing.'"

Of course, she knew that was a lie. But hey, it was worth a try right?

Natsume took the time to stop, but only for a brief moment. He said nothing as he bent down to pick up his wallet. Still unsatisfied, he continued making his way towards the woman.

_Mikan gulped. _There was nowhere to run, and there was definitely no way that she could try to run past this man. He could easily pin her down without breaking a sweat. Her legs began to tremble. This was the first time that she had found herself coming in close contact with her victim, what with trying to make a quick hit-and-run.

"W-what do you want?" she demanded, backing up a little in panic. "Go away!"

"You're coming back with me," Natsume's monotone voice implied.

Mikan took another few steps back as she watched him close in with brisk strides.

"I won't!" Mikan defied him. "I'm not going back with you just to become some stupid puppet for your stupid game."

At this, Natsume arched a brow. He stopped short at the sudden comment.

"Game?"

"Don't play dumb with me, you jerk," Mikan stomped her foot in defiance. "I heard it all. I heard what you and that guy were talkin' about. You're planning on taking me hostage for six months, and becoming some little pet study for some stupid project or something.'"

Natsume's eyes had a sharp glint behind them. This woman knew everything? …Fine.

"So you overheard everything, huh?" He picked up his pace. "Then I guess there's no point in me holding back by taking you. You are going to come back with me little girl." His voice rang with full confidence and authority. As much as he resented the idea of taking her at all, Natsume had his pride on the line resting in this girl's position. "Come here," he ordered her.

Mikan couldn't believe how straightforward he was. He had to be one of the first few men that were just as stubborn as her!

"Woman," Natsume called again. "Don't make me repeat myself. I said come here."

His crimson eyes were full of authority. They were almost terrifying.

"You can't!" Mikan defied. "I refuse. You can't make me do it, I won't do it!"

Mikan took another few steps back, now pressed against the back wall of the alley. She gasped once realizing there was no escape.

"I won't do it," she repeated.

Natsume sneered, "You think you've got a choice?"

Then without warning, the little brunette found herself being pinned roughly to the brick wall.

Both of her wrists were gripped on either side of her head. Natsume cuffed a hold of her wrists tightly as his smoldering crimson eyes held her gaze.

She was slightly taken in by the intimidating yet beautiful color of red. It was vast, mysterious, and breathtakingly attractive. His velvet-coated like voice was of pure seduction, causing a tingling sensation to run through her body as he spoke.

"Believe it or not little girl," his said, face now leveled with hers. "I will get my way. I don't give a damn what you think. To be honest, I think you're a disgusting thing that needs to be locked up."

Mikan flinched at his harsh words.

This man was cold, cruel, and so damn conceited all in one. She did her best to wrangle her wrists free, but to no avail. Natsume growled, causing the brunette to freeze as she shifted underneath his cold gaze.

"You're of low class, have a foul mouth, and you're definitely not attractive. But just watch." He smirked. "I can turn you into a woman in just six months."

Every word was like a huge slap in the face for Mikan. How could any man say something so easily? Say something just like that to a woman…so damn easily?

She felt her legs start to give out on her as she slowly found herself sinking to the ground. This over confident and high-strung man was so beyond…irritating!

She bit her lip and glared up at the raven haired model. "I…I hate you! I don't want this!"

A smug grin curved from the corners of Natsume's lips. "Sorry street rat," he scoffed, "but it doesn't look like you've got a choice on what you want."

He bent down to kneel in front of the woman to match with that of her now crouched position. Using his thumb and forefinger, he forced her chin to look at him. She held her silence as she gazed into his crimson eyes.

His ruby orbs hardened as he said, "From now on, you'll obey my every word. I hate you too... But you're going to help me gain something."

His voice sent a shiver up Mikan's spine. It was as if he had a spell of a hold on her as his eyes held her in place. She could only stare back in silence as he arose to his feet.

"Believe it or not, you will obey me. I'll have you chained to a leash if comes to that." Natsume gave a smug grin as he stated, "I'll have you tamed."

**.**

So….NxM all the way! :P


	6. Acquaintances: I Hate You Too

**Disclaimer:**Disclaimed.

**.**

E.D.- "You're no gentleman, you're not, to talk o' such things.

I'm a good girl, I am. And I know what the likes of you are, I do."

P.H.- "We want none of your slum prudery here, young woman."

-Eliza Doolittle, Professor Henry Higgins. My Fair Lady (1964)

**Chapter 6: Acquaintances: I Hate You Too**

**.**

An overly amused blonde did his utmost best to stifle back a laugh. His efforts for giving off a serious expression were in vain as he stared at his best friend.

"Really… Is that so?" he snickered through his words, cupping a hand over his mouth.

Natsume frowned, hating the thought of being ridiculed.

"Ruka. It's damn well not funny... Stop laughing."

Mikan pouted, folding both arms over her chest. "It's his own fault that he left his wallet there. If he cared about it, he wouldn't have left it hanging out in the open so freely."

Natsume was just about to retort until a sudden loud laugh came about. Ruka held his sides, trying to get a hold to himself as he busted out laughing.

"Sakura-san!" he chuckled. "I can't believe it… You! You actually had… Haha! You had the guts to do that to someone like Natsume. And, Natsume… you!" He just couldn't finish; it was all too funny.

"If you're done," Natsume growled, "I'd like to go ahead and head home... _now_."

Ruka tried to compose himself. "Ah, I'm sorry man. You've got to admit that's funny. All that happened as soon as I left… It was just so unreal, haha!"

Natsume shot a death glare at his best friend. The blonde switched his laughs over to a chest cough.

"Ahem… So, referring to what I had been discussing just earlier."

Ruka pulled out an alabaster sheet of paper from his coat pocket and placed it upon his coffee table. It contained his handwriting set in cursive print like that of a published document.

"While I was gone, I went ahead and had this made."

Both Natsume and Mikan walked over to take a good look as they narrowed their eyes.

"And this is?" Natsume asked.

"A document ‒ or you might say a little contract of our agreement," Ruka answered. "This piece of legalized contents shows that we have both agreed to our share of the proposed bet. It will stand as recorded evidence so that we can't go back on our word."

"That right?" Natsume snorted while scanning over the document.

Ruka nodded, "Right. And last but definitely not least, we'll go to Sakura-san." He turned to bask an attentive smile towards the brunette. "I'm afraid that you don't know much about the deal. It's actually really simple. We are─"

"She knows, Ruka," Natsume interjected impassive. "I've already had a talk with the girl. She knows everything."

"W-wait, so... already knows?"

"That's right. And she refuses to take part in it. But─" Natsume's eyes narrowed in warning at the woman, "I had to do my part in making that stubborn thing submit. So, in the end she's got no choice but to go through with it."

"I won't!" Mikan defied him easily. "Why should I do something that I don't have to?"

Sensing Natsume's malicious aura, Ruka quickly intervened, "Sakura-san, I really want to apologize for not even bothering to get your consent before all of this. But do you want to know something good?"

Gullible as usual, Mikan found herself slightly excited by the blonde's cunning use of words.

"Something good?" she asked with hopeful eyes.

"That's right. Out of any woman that I've come across I think that you are by far the most interesting." Ruka tipped a finger to his chin, studying her in admiration. "There's something to you that I feel is special, and I know that through this project you'll come to realize it too. Have you ever thought of becoming a proper lady?

Lady? That was a word Mikan definitely wasn't used to hearing. Brows knitted together, she cocked her head to the side, pondering over the question.

"A proper… lady?"

"That's right," Ruka nodded and added, "an exceptional woman. You can become a beautiful young woman who wears the best of clothes and can go to any expensive restaurant that you so desire. A woman who can stop men in their tracks, and have them begging on their knees for you. This, Sakura-san, can be turned into a reality for someone like yourself."

Mikan blinked and pointed to herself in disbelief. "I can…become something like that?"

Natsume snorted, "Like hell."

"You love chocolates, don't you?" Ruka asked her.

"Chocolates? Yes, oh yes, I love chocolates!"

The handsome blonde grinned. "Well, Sakura-san, how about this? If you can consent to staying with Natsume as a proper young lady for six whole months, then I will give you a life-time supply of chocolate double fudge. I'll even bake up a special batch especially for you."

A loud gasp came from the now over-excited brunette whose hazel eyes sparkled with joy. "No kidding? This… isn't some kind of joke?"

Ruka couldn't help but chuckle at her innocent cuteness. "Hardly. Sakura-san, you have the potential to become a beautiful and stunning young woman. You're per say… a diamond in the ruff? All you need is a special shot. And," he held out a ball-point pen and slid the document over towards her, "all you have to do is sign here."

Mikan hesitated a little as how to make a decision. Really, the thought didn't sound too bad. She, herself, had always wanted the riches of a princess. And the best part was the fact that the deal came with a life-time of her favorite thing: Chocolate-double fudge.

With her teeth overlapping her bottom lip, she took the pen from Ruka's hand and signed the contract. For a good while, she felt as if she had signed her soul straight away.

"Good job, Sakura-san!" Ruka congratulated with a well-done pat on her back. "You've taken your first step forward in becoming a whole new woman. Congratulations!"

Mikan shifted her brown orbs over to the agitated expression of an irritated Natsume. "So, I'll be living with that cruel and heartless jerk?"

"Don't worry, Sakura-san," Ruka assured her. "He'll come around. Before you know it, you'll be the one opening up his heart."

Natsume sneered, ignoring the idiot fools as he found himself signing the document. He sighed once he was done. "Alright, Ruka, now that this stupid talk is over, I'm heading on back to Hyuuga Hotels. We'll end this here for tonight."

Ruka nodded and patted Mikan's heaad. "Sakura-san, from now on, you will be staying with Natsume for six whole months. Starting tonight, you will begin your role in this project." He smiled a triumphant grin, "Please do your best to give it your all. I'm looking forward to it."

"And I'll be getting my supply of chocolate-double fudge!" Mikan said, clasping her hands together.

Natsume rolled his eyes at the scene and pulled at her arm while making a brisk retreat for the door.

He called over his shoulder, "Ruka, we're leaving. I have a taxi waiting just outside."

"Alright, then," Ruka waved. "Take care you two. I can't wait to see how things go from here on out." He gave a sly grin. "Don't stay up all night!"

Natsume cursed under his breath, pulling Mikan out of the door with him. This was definitely going to be one hell of a night…

**.**

"I'm tired," Mikan complained, kicking her legs back and forth as she sat in the seat of the taxi cab. "Are we there, yet?"

"We're just about there, woman," Natsume groaned, cupping a palm under his chin. "Quit your stupid whining and shut up already."

The cab came to a good stop as it pulled up beside the front of the hotel. Just as impatient as ever, Natsume opened the car door, but refrained from getting out. He froze on the spot, taking in the outside area.

"Damn," he muttered to himself, taking in the view before him.

He had completely forgotten how overcrowded the place could get with all the rising popularity.

_This isn't going to be easy…_

"Hey… Hey!" Mikan whined. "When the heck are we getting outta this car?"

Natsume ignored her. Being the clever man that he was, he thought up his own solution and quickly pulled off his black leather jacket.

"Here," he said while shoving it in the brunette's face, "cover yourself up with this."

"Mmf!" Mikan muffled. It wasn't easy trying to get a word out while having a huge garment cloaking over her entire face.

"Geez, woman," Natsume groaned as he huffed out a sigh. "Are you this useless?"

He pulled at the leather jacket, being rough with her as he forced it to cover her upper body. Using his other free hand, he made sure to zip her all the way up, careful enough not to let her face show.

"I-_mmf..._can't see!"

Natsume sighed again. He unzipped a part of the jacket from the top, making just enough space for the brunette's eyes to seep through. Wasting no time to spare, he opened the car door and immediately pulled Mikan (non-too-gently) out of the taxi cab.

His force from his pull nearly made her trip face forward to the ground. Mikan yelped after losing her step. She did her best to scowl a glare through her peep hole towards the handsome brute.

"Stay beside me," Natsume warned. He pulled at her a little harder as he turned to walk off towards the front entrance.

Mikan grunted in refusal but then froze. Her eyes widened in awe with a drop of her jaw.

Right before her eyes stood a gigantic and massive building, standing proud and tall with all of its towering glory. It was as if the Two Towers had condensed inside of a grandeur mansion.

At the very top, the name, _Hyuuga Hotels_ was inscribed in a metallic-gold plate in big and bold letters. People were rushing in and out, some of them dressed in the most fashionable clothes that looked like it was straight out of _Elle Magazine_.

Mikan gawked at such a sight. For a poor and penniless person like her, this was way beyond the ideal image of luxury.

"I thought I told you to stay beside me," Natsume suddenly popped up seeing the brunette caught in a trance. "Stop lagging around, already."

"You live… here?" was all that the brunette managed to say.

Natsume frowned in response to such a stupid question. "Hardly. I _own_ this whole place." He reached for her arm. "Hurry up and don't lag behind."

Mikan found it hard to match with his pace. His legs were much longer and picked up a lot more strides than her short and slender legs. Natsume didn't waste a single second as he was let in.

"Hello, Mr. Hyuuga," the doorman greeted respectfully.

Natsume casually nodded in return and continued to pull at the brunette's arm. Mikan still found it very hard to see, but that didn't stop her from glancing at the luxury splendor about the hotel.

Gold was nearly a part of every object possible, enrapturing every single portrait, statue, even the marble floor. Her hazel eyes sparkled while she gave a few "Ooohs" and "Aahhs" as she walked.

Natsume rolled his eyes in annoyance. Just like he thought, she really _was_ just a little girl. Only difference was the fact that she had a knack for stealing.

Sight of the infamous model and young heir, Natsume Hyuuga, did not go un-missed by all of the awaiting guests. Eyes were instantly set upon the handsome bachelor.

"Natsume," a woman winked in his direction. "Sexy as always. How are you, baby?"

"Mr. Hyuuga!" the desk receptionist greeted him as she witnessed him pass her by. "Hello, sir. It's nice to see you!"

"Hello, Mr. Hyuuga! It's great to see you again!"

The young heir kept character as he returned a simple nod, "Thanks and hello. Yes, nice to see you too."

He tried his best to respond casually, hoping to avoid unwanted attention towards the young woman that he was still pulling along beside him. A huge sigh of relief seemed to calm him over. There were no usual sign of daily reporters or reviewers hanging about this night. Tonight, he got lucky.

"Look! It's Natsume Hyuuga!"

A group of young women gathered together, pointing at the sexy heartthrob.

"But, look there. Who's that person behind him? Is she a woman? She's kind of short isn't she?"

"Hey, yeah... you're right. It does look like a woman. Oh, no, is Natsume with another woman, _again?"_

The celebrity model cursed under his breath.

Of all the luck, it had happened that fast. He wasted no time as he made his way up towards the stairs and pulled roughly at Mikan's arm.

Still being the cold-hearted jerk that he was, he forced the woman to keep with his strides as they headed for an elevator.

"Get in," he instructed as he pushed her inside.

Mikan didn't even get a say as she suddenly found herself running straight into the wall. With a quick press of the button, Natsume made their destination set for Floor D.

"Hey," the brunette protested, "I have two legs of my own, you know. There's no reason for you to be so rough!"

As usual, Natsume ignored her constant whining. He was too damn tired and worn out to put up with her childish act at the moment. It wasn't long before the elevator came to a complete stop.

_Ding!-_came the ringing chime of the bell as the elevator door opened.

There was a certain silence that engulfed the area as the two companions made their way thoroughly down the hall. Only the loud muffles of angry swearing could be heard coming from the woman being hauled along.

Natsume made a small detour, passing right through a sliding glass door embedded with the gold initials: N. H.

After finally reaching their destination, Natsume came to a good stop in front of his door. Mikan was still muffling through the jacket, flailing her arms in defiance. Sickened of her childish display, Natsume muttered a curse of his own and turned to the brunette as he roughly undid the zipper of the jacket.

Mikan yelped from the stinging pain from her tongue. "Hey! You didn't have to be so─"

"I'm only going to tell you this now," Natsume warned in a low and dry tone. "I sure as hell don't want you inside of my own home. All you do is complain and yell, and it's working my last damn nerve. I hate people like you; thieves who always think that they can get their filthy, grubby little hands on anything that they see. As far as I'm concerned, you're only a penniless thief in my eyes. But for now, we'll just have to see each other as acquaintances…" He trailed off in thought as he turned to unlock the door, "Hell, I even hate the thought of being _that_**.**"

Mikan frowned after hearing such cold-hearted words. She couldn't believe that every woman found a heartless jerk like _him_to be attractive. His words always stung, he hated listening to others, and his high and mighty attitude always had a way of standing above everyone else. She decided to get her own bit of fun by making a few funny-faces just behind his back.

She pulled at her cheeks with her sockets drooping, making a solemn face like that of a clown. Next, she wrinkled her mouth to give off a sour scowl with an extra added pig nose for kicks.

"Dumb jerk," she whispered while sticking out her tongue.

Natsume blinked and turned around. "What the hell are you doing?"

Mikan was quick to pull her tongue back in, folding both arms behind her back. "Nothing…"

"Hn," Natsume decided to ignore her and returned to shifting his key to the lock. He opened the door and made just a few steps in, when suddenly…

"Natsume-sama!" a cheerful voice exclaimed.

Almost immediately, Natsume found himself suddenly being tackled, nearly stumbling backwards as he made his way inside. A beautiful young woman with long-sheen black hair flowing past her shoulders was instantly glued to his chest.

She squeezed him tight. "You're finally home, I'm so happy!"

Natsume simply nodded. "Nonoko," he greeted casually while slightly breaking for air. "You... can let go now…"

"Oh!" Nonoko giggled playfully as she released him. "Sorry about that, sir. I'm just always happy to see you!"

Curious as to what was going on, Mikan peeped her head over the side of Natsume's shoulder. She spared a quick glance at the woman, taking in her uniform which looked like that of a French maid.

The hem of her black skirt was surrounded by pale-pink frills, stopping short just above her knees, making her long slender legs to stand out. The woman's chest, however, was nearly hanging out; a tightly pressed bust for the entire world to see. As if she weren't attractive enough, she wore a pair of sexy black heels that enlightened her already tall height.

Mikan snorted under her breath. This arrogant jerk _would_have a busty maid hanging about the place. It fit so well for someone like him…

"What's on the menu tonight, Nonoko?" Natsume asked while brushing past the woman.

"It's your absolute favorite, Natsume-sama: Four-cheese lasagna with a share of red wine."

"Yeah?" Natsume yawned out. "A nice homed cook meal, huh? That's my girl."

"Of course, sir," Nonoko chuckled. "I'm the expert when it comes to knowing what you like. Now, why don't you just head on into the kitchen and… What in the hell!"

She cut herself off completely, finally realizing that another feminine presence was nearby. Her violet eyes widened, astounded to find a woman inside of her master's abode.

"Who… Who the heck is _she?_" Nonoko pointed ever so rudely at the brunette.

Mikan, on the other hand, easily ignored her as she started taking in the view of the massive interior.

The suite was remarkably huge. There had to be at least seven halls leading off to different rooms. She snorted under her breath at the scenery. Just around every corner of the wall hung a proud and enlarged portrait of a hotly attractive Natsume dressed in the latest fashion trends.

_He really is a stuck-up jerk,_ Mikan thought to herself, finding a comfortable spot upon a leather couch.

"You dirty little thing, how dare you!" The brunette turned her uncaring attention towards a glowering Nonoko. "You can't just waltz in here and sit wherever you please. Natsume-sama," she whined, "who is this girl, why is she here? Don't tell me she's one of your play toys. Aren't you tired of that?"

"Nonoko," Natsume exasperated. "It's one hell of a long story, I'll explain it later. I'm not in the mood right now."

"It's not fair," Nonoko protested, both hands placed on either side of her hips. "You've never brought home just _any_woman inside your personal suite. Look!" She snatched the leather jacket off of Mikan's shoulders and shook it as given evidence. "You even gave her your own prized possession of Burberry. _Burberry!_It's not─"

"Hey!" Mikan cut in, "He gave that to me, not to you." She snatched back what was rightfully hers. "Give it back!"

Nonoko could only stare on in disbelief, slightly taken aback from such feisty impertinence.

Natsume rubbed ay his temples, "This damn night…" He snapped his head back up to look at his maid. "Nonoko. This woman will be staying here for a while. I want you to go ahead and get a hot bath started for her. While you're at it, go ahead and prepare a guest room for her just upstairs."

Nonoko couldn't believe her ears. "Natsume-sama… I'll do no such─"

"Why? What the heck for? I don't want no bath!" Mikan suddenly protested. "I'm tired and worn out already. Just let me go to sleep."

Natsume's jaw tightened, as if he were restraining himself from cussing up a storm. He sure as hell was not in the mood for all of her complaining.

"You filthy little girl… You are in **my**home now, and in **my**home, dirty things like you need to be _clean._Do you understand me?"

"I said I don't want no bath," Mikan grumbled, crossing both arms like a child.

Natsume rolled his eyes. Geez… it was like trying to manipulate a spoiled five-year old.

"I won't do it. I'm tired, I said that already."

"You horrible girl," Nonoko fumed, "I won't stand for you to talk down to Natsume-sama in such a way. Know your place!"

Mikan narrowed her eyes..

"Stop yelling at me you old hag!" she snarled out.

"What…" The maid gasped and pointed, "W-what did you just…"

She was practically awestruck by such a comment. An old Hag? Her? Nonoko gestured towards her bottom-half, giving off a slight pose with her left leg.

"Who are you calling an old hag, huh? I'm a beautiful goddess; just take a look at these damn legs." Her brows knitted together. "A filthy thing like you in Natsume-sama's home… How dare you─"

She was cut short from her share of complaints as she found herself suddenly being pulled off to the side. Natsume had her by the arm as he guided them into a separate part of the hall.

"Natsume-sama?" Nonoko asked, surprised.

The young master ran a hand through his hair. "Nonoko, don't go getting the wrong idea here. Look, I hate that woman just as much as you do."

"Then why is she staying _here?_ That woman is the filthiest little thing that I've ever seen."

Natsume scratched at his head and said, "It's… complicated. Anyway, you better get used to her bad mouth… for now anyway. That little street rat will be staying here for six months."

The next few words were a shocker. "S-six… Six whole _months?_" Nonoko asked, overly awestruck. "W-why? W-what the hell for?"

"Like I said," Natsume shrugged, "it's complicated. Ruka and I made a bet about something that I can't turn back on now. I'll explain it all to you later on. Right now, I want you to run a bath for that dirty thing. Have I made myself clear?"

"B-but this is─"

"Nonoko. Have I made myself _clear?_"

The woman held in her response at her master's sharp request.

"Y-yes, Natsume-sama…"

Natsume grinned, patting her head lightly. "That's my girl."

With that said, he left the dirty work to be done for his little maid as he walked off. He decided to retreat into the next dining hall to make a much needed phone call. Finding a comfortable position on a nearby loveseat, he pulled out his phone while dialing a number. It seemed like forever as he waited and waited for someone to pick up the other line.

His thumb drummed repeatedly over his thigh.

_Pick up. Pick up._

Then, suddenly… _Beep!_

_"Greetings. You have reached Hotaru Imai. I'm not in right now due to my own personal reasons. If you are an in-coming customer, please be so kind as to leave a message and I'll be sure to contact you as soon as possible. Money is essentially important, so I will make sure to return your call. But if by some chance, you just so happen to be my idiot of a jerk cousin, well…"_

There was a long pause.

_"…Don't bother leaving a message at all. In fact, it'd be best if you didn't contact me at all. Thank you for your time."_

_Beep!_

Natsume didn't seem surprised by the blunt sarcasm_._

He gave a click of his tongue and said, "That's one hell of a voicemail you've got there, Imai. I wonder if that's why you can't keep a single man on both arms." He sighed, "Anyway, I've got something to show you, and so I'll be over at your place tomorrow sometime in the afternoon. And _no_, I will not bother wasting time in setting up a damn schedule. Later."

Natsume ended his message with a sigh and rubbed the bridge of his nose in frustration. Man… maybe he _should've_ gone to a club tonight for a woman.

This Friday night was so unbearable, breaking his mental stability down in every way. His day started out with rescuing a feisty brunette and ended with him bringing her back straight to his own private suite. Not to mention, that he had somehow gotten caught up in agreeing to some nonsensical bet that could possibly lead to his greatest downfall.

How in the hell did all of this happen in just one day?

He shrugged the thought away with a curse of his breath and made his way back into the living room.

"Natsume-sama?" Nonoko asked her young master.

"What is it, Nonoko?"

"I've run a bath for the um…'guest' like you suggested. But, well…" She shifted her eyes and pointed to the couch.

Following in said direction, Natsume found a worn and tired-looking brunette sleeping peacefully upon the couch, covered with his Burberry leather jacket.

His stoic expression slightly twitched as he watched her sleeping form.

He wanted to pop her in the mouth for daring to sleep on his luxury couch without so much as taking a bath. But for some strange reason… the peaceful look on her face caused him to hold back.

Her muffled clumps of chestnut hair had a few auburn strands caressing the side of her cheeks. She held the jacket pressed tightly to her chin, holding it as if it had meant the whole world to her.

Natsume kept a distant expression on his face, hiding his true thoughts. Weird… For one split second, he actually found her sleeping face to be a little…cute.

He snorted, mentally shaking the thought off.

"Let her stay there for tonight," he said while heading upstairs. "But make sure that she gets a bath first thing in the morning."

**.**

Mikan will be Mikan regardless. And writing this chap makes me want some dang chocolate too… Ugh I only got leftover Doritos.

Hope you enjoyed! Stay Blessed~


	7. Let the Game Begin

**Disclaimer: **I own nada.

**.**

E.D.- "You expect me to git into there and wet mah self all over? Not me!

M.P.- "Come on girl, do as you're told. Take your clothes off!"

E.D.- "Take your hands off me! No, I'm a good girl, I am! It ain't right! It ain't decent!"

**-Eliza Doolittle, Mrs. Pearce. My Fair Lady (1964)**

**Chapter 7: Let the Game Begin**

**.**

"Alright, then. Last few questions."

A brunette with reddish-pink highlights spoke in the speaker of her microphone. She gave a small cough chest as if to prepare herself before speaking.

"At such a young age, you have made it to the top, nearly surpassing those who have been in the game a lot longer than yourself. And yet, you still come with surprises! Natsume Hyuuga, you have become the new heir of the most luxury suites in the world, Hyuuga Hotels. How do you feel?"

Sophea smiled and extended her microphone towards the stunning raven-haired heartthrob.

The guest of honor was dressed in a red Muscle-Tee covered by a dark navy-blue leather jacket, along with a pair of Buckle-branded jeans. He sat comfortably in his seat, one elbow propped upon the edge of his chair and a sexy grin playing at his lips.

"Sophea. What would you say if you were at the top of your game, still rising in status and having your face printed in almost every magazine? You would be overwhelmed right? For me, there is no greater achievement. There is still so much that I need to improve on as the new heir and especially as a model. I'm excited for this up and coming year."

The ecstatic young woman responded with a gasp of excitement. "Well, take that Orlando Bloom! That was such a remarkable answer ─ a response of overwhelming confidence. I couldn't have said it better myself!" She situated her stack of note cards, flipping another one out from the batch. "Next question. As usual, people are getting ready for the up and coming holidays. It's almost the end of September, and October is just around the corner. Do you plan on doing anything special for the upcoming month?"

"Yeah, I believe that I have something special planned. Starting next week, I'll be doing a photo shoot especially done for J-14's Halloween catalog special."

"Really!" Sophea asked energetically. "Do you know what sort of set-up it will be?"

"As you said earlier, Sophea, I keep coming with surprises," Natsume smirked. "It's a s-e-c-r-e-t."

Sophea could swear that her heart skipped a beat. "That's Natsume Hyuuga for you, a man of secrets! I've got one last question, and hopefully…you won't have any secrets to keep from this one." Her eyes glistened with admiration as she stared back at her attractive guest. "Natsume, you're obviously far more than just a hot model and sexy heir. I'm sure you've noticed this too. Women are always at your feet, practically begging down on their knees for you. It's definitely no secret that you have a way with the ladies. There's always a new beautiful woman hanging off your arm in the blink of an eye!"

The hot model laughed huskily to himself. "You make it sound like I'm a womanizer, Sophea."

She grinned and winked. "I hear that your bad boy persona is a huge turn-on for your female fans of all ages."

Natsume grinned back. "Wherever did you get that idea?" His velvet coated voice put another stop to the woman's heart.

Sophea giggled playfully. "Well, that's no secret I can tell you that much, _believe_ me. But, there's just one thing that I just had to ask. Natsume… Do you ever plan on finding the woman of your dreams? Will you ever settle down with just one lucky lady who finally finds a way to steal your heart?"

Woman of his dreams? Natsume had to hold back a laugh. Here goes this crap again… What was it with people thinking that he had to be at least with one woman who could pin him down? What would he want with being faithful to one woman while missing out on all the fun with many?

"I'll clear this up for you now, Sophea," Natsume spoke with disenchantment. "Having my singles card is a lot easier at the moment. I don't plan on finding myself settling down anytime soon, if that's what you mean. There's just too much fun for me to simply miss out on." He leaned even closer towards the microphone, "To any woman who hears this… Try not to get your hopes up. Don't bother finding any true love out of me. Because, I definitely don't plan on finding true love out of you…"

With that said, the young heir sat back in a lax position in his chair, grinning with a satisfied expression. He had gotten his point across.

Sophea stared back in admiration at how confident this man simply was. "Well, there you have it ladies! Guess you can kiss your dreams of marrying Natsume Hyuuga goodbye for now. On a happier note, at least this means that he's still playing the role of staying single. This only adds on to his already cold, yet sexy charm of his attitude. Go get him!"

_**Click! **_Sophea turned off her recorder.

"Whew! That was one steamy interview." She took a sip of her small cup of vanilla Frappuccino. "Thanks so much for bothering to meet up for this interview, Mr. Hyuuga. I appreciate it. This should be aired on my radio broadcast next week."

"No problem at all," Natsume said with a smug grin. "A talk with a beautiful woman always lightens my mood. Fun, really."

Sophea chuckled at the compliment. "Wow, you really don't hold back with those charms of yours do you?" She smiled and asked, "By the way… How did it go last night with that woman of yours? Are you two an item?"

Natsume's thoughts immediately flashbacked to a dirty brunette who was nothing but trouble from the other night. Having to secretly haul her inside of a luxury suite without too much attention and then putting up with her stubborn and defiant attitude. He was worn out just by thinking about it.

Natsume snorted, "Us? An Item? That girl should consider herself lucky with me even holding her hand. She was an eyesore."

"Oh, so you two aren't together? That's good!" Sophea was delighted by the news. "So… How about we go get a bite for breakfast together, hm? My treat?"

"As much fun as that sounds," the hot model started, "I'm afraid that I still have some things that need to be done. Hope that's okay."

"Well, shoot!" Sophea snapped her fingers and basked a smile. "Aw, I really was hoping for a good shot, haha. That's quite alright, though."

Nodding with another heart stopping grin, Natsume arose from the table. "Thank you for the great interview, Sophea. I hope the broadcasting goes well." He turned to take his leave, holding up a gesture of his hand as if to say good-bye.

After the successful interview, Natsume decided to take a limo headed back home for his luxury abode. He stepped out of his limo and made his way inside of the building.

As usual, he was greeted with the everyday routines of warm welcomes as he passed by.

"Greetings, Mr. Hyuuga!"

"Hello, Mr. Hyuuga!"

Natsume nodded respectfully in response. It felt great to be at the top, surrounded by money and fame. He smiled a little beside himself as he took the elevator for the fourth floor, and made his way towards his private suite. He exasperated a sigh, slightly exhausted from the early morning interview. It really felt good to be home.

Running a hand through his hair, he made his way in through the door, expecting nothing but the chance to find himself a comfortable position on his leather couch when suddenly…

"Ah! No, no, no, no! I don't want this!"

A screaming brunette zoomed past him. She was covered with nothing but a clad towel, dripping wet as she ran amongst the room.

Natsume stood motionless, speechless with a stoic expression spread across his face. He just _**had**_ to be hallucinating…

"Get back here you silly girl!" A furious looking Nonoko was chasing after the woman. She was swinging around a bath scrubber as she yelled, "Stop these foolish mind games! Get your half naked behind back here, right now!"

Natsume's dark aura intensified. This _wasn't_ happening…

"No!" Mikan ran back across the opposite direction of the room. "I don't want this! This is inhuman!"

"Get back here, I said!" Nonoko followed after her.

"I said no!" Here came Mikan once again, still running towards the other side of the room. "It's inhuman, I said! I don't want to do this! I-_oomph_!"

Before the feisty brunette could complain any further, she found herself suddenly hauled from the side. Natsume roughly caught her by the arm as he forcefully pulled her to him.

"Quiet!" he bellowed in annoyance. "You're being too damn noisy in the morning, making my ears bleed..."

Finally realizing that her beloved master was home at last, Nonoko stopped in her tracks. "Oh!" she gasped. "Natsume-sama, thank goodness you're here!" She pointed at the wet brunette. "This girl is being so difficult. I was trying to give her a hot bath just like you had ordered me to. But she's not cooperating at all."

"I don't want a stupid bath!" Mikan defied, struggling in Natsume's grasp.

Nonoko shook her head. "You see? She complained about having to get undressed, saying how it was immoral and screamed bloody murder as soon as I had her settle in the tub. Next thing I know, she's grabbing a towel yelling about how rude I was being in forcing her to take her clothes off. Honestly!" The young maid heaved a heavy sigh. "I didn't want to touch those dirty feet in the first place, but this girl definitely needs to be washed. This dirty thing hasn't had a bath her whole life!"

"I won't!" Mikan defended. "You forced me to take off my clothes so easily and right in front of another woman too. And then, you want to go and try to drown me in scorching hot water? Well, I ain't standing for it, I won't do it!"

"Listen you," Nonoko waved the scrubber towards Mikan, "Natsume-sama trusted me to take care of you along with a hot bath. So, you just suck it up already and comply like a good girl."

"I don't want it, I said! I─"

She didn't get another say. Before she knew it, Natsume had pulled her by the arm again and roughly started dragging her up the stairs. He cursed under his breath as he hauled her along.

"W-what are you doing?" Mikan demanded as she tried to wrangle free.

"Taking you to the bath," Natsume replied impassively.

Mikan's eyes widened. "I won't go back in there, you're not gonna─"

"Shut up." Natsume stopped short, turning his burning glare of ruby-red eyes towards the woman. "I told you that dirty things like you aren't allowed to walk freely in my home. That means that you need a bath." He narrowed his eyes. "You're going to get a bath one way or another little girl."

Seeing the fierce glare in his eyes, Mikan did nothing but keep her mouth shut. Her stubbornness seemed to be overpowered by such an overconfident man. Honestly, it made her feel a little insulted. She wasn't used to being told what to do so easily.

With a little bit of resisting, Natsume was finally able to haul the feisty woman towards the bathroom. He grabbed a hold to her towel, whipping it off of her as he caused her to plop right into a tub of steaming hot water.

"Ah!" Mikan stumbled inside with an extra added splash as water came crashing all around her. "Y-you stupid jerk!" she fumed. She stood up to point to him accusingly, "You horrible, son-of-a-gun…!"

Natsume simply stared back with a nonchalant expression. He started at her from top to bottom.

The brunette blinked twice and after suddenly feeling a light breeze catch her by, she took a good look at herself. Realizing that she was standing fully naked in front the man she hated, Mikan was quick to plop right back down. She gasped, covering her chest while glaring at the handsome brute.

"H-how dare you! You…!" Her face was bright red looking as if she could explode any minute.

"Woman," Natsume snorted out, "don't flatter yourself. I've seen a lot of women…and I mean _**a lot **_of women." He smirked as he neared his face to hers. "And every single one of them had a much better looking body than your pathetic excuse for a chest… Believe me."

Ouch! Cold words served on a platter along with a hint of sarcasm. It was like a huge slap in the face once again for Mikan. Her jaw dropped low.

"Y-you…h-how c-could you…" She found it rather hard to make a smart retort after having a heartless man ridicule her feminine qualities by comparison.

Ignoring the brunette's fuming rage, Natsume turned to walk out of the bathroom door. "I expect you to be clean and properly dressed by the time you come downstairs," he called over his shoulders while reaching for the doorknob.

Mikan glared at him. Feeling the need to get even, she was quick to grab hold to a bar of soap. "You… jerk!"

_**Whoosh! **_She threw it at the door, hoping for it to catch the back of the head of her target.

It was too late, seeing as Natsume had already taken his leave. Just before the flying object could get to him, he swiftly closed the door only to have the bar of soap leave a hard thwack from behind. He rubbed his temples in irritation as he sighed, ignoring the constant shouting from just behind the bathroom door.

"Natsume-sama?" Nonoko asked, appearing before him.

The man turned to his maid in expectance. "Nonoko, good, you're right there. I need you to go ahead and have that woman cleaned and dressed properly all in less than thirty minutes. Can I count on you?"

Standing in a stance like that of a soldier, Nonoko gave a confident smile as she saluted him. "Yes, sir!"

"That's what I like to hear," Natsume said as he started to make his way downstairs. He turned his back to leave. "Thirty minutes, Nonoko," he repeated.

**.**

Thirty minutes…Weren't those the same exact words that he had instructed towards his maid? Natsume looked up at the clock, narrowing his eyes as he realized that it had been way past the expected time. He should've known that it wouldn't be this simple.

He snorted, rummaging through his leather jacket. "Women…"

He was just about to pull out his Pall-Malls® pack of cigarettes, when he heard his name being said.

"Natsume-sama," Nonoko called. She had a triumphant grin placed on her face. "I believe that she's ready for you now."

"It's about time," Natsume growled under his breath. He stood up from his couch and turned around. "Alright, woman, I don't have all day. There are things that I─"

He said nothing more. The sight before him nearly made his ruby-red orbs pop out from their sockets. Right before him stood an image of what he probably would've assumed to be something from his imagination. But, no…this was no hallucination.

A whole different woman was standing right before him. She was dressed in a hot summer-pink dress that stopped just before her knees. It fit every curve of hers perfectly. The elasticity of the pink dress was pressed tightly to her chest, making it stand out a lot more than his eyes would've imagined. Her hem was adjusted perfectly, making her slender legs to appear much longer with that of her 5'2inches height.

Her auburn chestnut hair could still use some work, but at least it was no longer in tangled muffled clumps. It was let loose to run freely, stopping just at her shoulders. Her hazel orbs were bright and captivating. There were still a few feminine adjustments that could be improved on, but all in all, Natsume had to admit that she didn't look half bad.

A light chuckle came from Nonoko as she triumphantly smiled. "I did well, didn't I Natsume-sama? Her hair was a tad difficult. I even had to use a wide-toothed comb just to comb out her tangles. Not bad though, huh?"

Natsume was still a little shocked. He wanted to respond, but just couldn't. Was he really staring back at the same dirty brunette from last night? It couldn't be…

Mikan on the other hand was slightly wincing in pain from her high heels. She found it rather hard to stand straight up, considering that it had been far too long since she had been re-introduced to the habit of wearing shoes.

"T-these shoes hurt…" she said as she tried to take a step forward, but then…

_**Thoom!**_

Unable to find her footing, Mikan lost her balance, instantly falling with a hard slam as she landed face forward to the floor. Natsume stared down at her in silence as his face fall from shock to nonchalance. Yep, this was definitely the same dirty brunette from last night…

"O-ouch," Mikan whined as she struggled to get up.

Nonoko rolled her eyes with a sigh, "Honestly, you silly girl. You just had to go and make an idiot of yourself." She helped the poor woman up. "Don't make me look bad in front of Natsume-sama, I did too much work."

Natsume casually made his way over towards the brunette as he narrowed his eyes. Honestly, he was still a little surprised, but wasn't willing enough to show it. "Well, if anyone can turn a street rat into a street _mouse_ it's you, Nonoko."

"Natsume-sama," Nonoko whined. "Don't say such cold words. She looks almost like a doll, not a mouse. Although… there are still some flaws to her, I think that I did a pretty good job."

"Hn," was Natsume's only reply as he kept one hand inside of his pocket while using the other to tilt Mikan's chin upwards. "You could say that… Not too bad though, Nonoko. She'll do."

Mikan shook face free from his grasp and spat out, "Stupid jerk! I don't give a damn what you think, I still hate you!"

"Still," Natsume said with a click of his tongue, "there's a lot of work to be done with that bad mouth of hers." He scrunched his nose and sighed, "Her damn mouth gives me a headache..."

Deciding to ignore another one of his rude comments, Mikan found a comfortable spot on the floor. "These damn shoes…" She started to fiddle around with the pair of sole-aching heels.

Nonoko folded her arms and quirked a brow at her young master. "Natsume-sama, I'm just curious. You made me put up with this girl, clean her, and even had me dress her up. But…why would you go through so much trouble for a girl like her?"

Natsume simply shrugged, "We're going out."

"What!" Nonoko's face went blank. "Natsume-sama, you…can't! You mean to say that you had me clean and dress her up just so the two of you could take a happy stroll together? What am I supposed to─?"

"Stop all that whining, Nonoko," the young heir growled out. Seriously, this is why he couldn't bother being faithful to just _**one**_ woman. He hated hearing them complain. "There's something I have to do. I'm taking her to see Imai."

The sudden name caught Nonoko's ears of attention. "You mean _the_ Hotaru Imai? The Ice-Princess, also known as your own cousin?" she asked in disbelief.

Natsume nodded, "Right. And if you remember, she's the kind of woman who doesn't take things likely. Meeting up with her means to be dressed properly and clean. She hates things that look out of order, it pisses her off."

"Then… why would you go through the trouble to take someone like _her?_" Nonoko pointed at Mikan who was still sitting on the floor fiddling with her shoes. "She's out of order in just about every way possible."

"These stupid damn shoes…" Mikan tried to tear off one of the straps to her heels.

"Oh, no you don't," Nonoko swiftly popped her hand. "Those are my best pair of Vera Wang's. I'm not gonna have you go and mess them up."

"Imai is always on her bad side," Natsume continued, "I don't see her any different now than she was when we were kids. Even so, I'm going to need her help in this little game of mine. She'll listen to me one way or another." With that said, he bent down to grab hold of Mikan's arm. "Get up, woman."

There he goes again with the pulling, never caring at all of who he was dragging behind. "Where are we going?" Mikan demanded.

"To see my cousin," Natsume answered flatly.

"What? Why do we have to do that? I didn't hear about this in the contract. Who's this cousin of yours that I have to be forced to see, huh? Where the hell are you taking me?"

Loud, noisy, and a damn irritating nuisance. That was all Natsume was thinking each time the pesky woman opened her mouth. She never knew when to shut up, and probably would never shut up even if it was for the good of all man-kind. It made him sick.

"Woman," Natsume abruptly came to a stop, swiftly turning to face her. Mikan was slightly taken aback by his actions. She gasped, surprised to find a handsome grin playing at his lips. "Do you like food?" he suddenly asked her.

"Y-yes…" Mikan stuttered at the weird question.

Natsume nodded simply, musing a little at her answer. "Would you like fancy clothes?"

"I-I would…"

"Would you even like a warm bed for you to jump in?"

"A bed? Oh, Yes!" Mikan could feel the evident excitement rising in her voice.

"Yeah?" Natsume teased sarcastically. His charming grin gradually diminished into a dark scowl. His red eyes grew hard and cold. "Well, I'll tell you this…" He neared his face towards the brunette. His voice was lathered in a low dry tone with a hint of velvet. "If you so much as behave wildly or mess up while we're out, I'll make your life a living hell. That means no food, no fancy clothes, and damn well no warm bed for you to enjoy. You'll have the simple pleasures of black coal to gulp down, one large tee to wear around, and a prickly bed of straw to relax in. I'll have you sleeping in the dark gutter with only a cold breeze to keep you company. I won't have you mess this up. Try to cross me and I'll make this nightmare of yours come true. If you understand me, then nod your head."

After hearing such cruel words, what could she say? Caught in a trance of his spiteful crimson eyes, Mikan gulped inwardly. She slowly nodded, finally grasping the idea of being quiet.

"Good." Natsume continued with his fast movement of walking. "We'll be leaving now, Nonoko," he said while opening the door.

Nonoko waved a small handkerchief admissibly, "Please come back alive, Natsume-sama!"

"I'll be back soon," the young master drawled out just before swiftly closing the door shut.

Natsume hauled the little brunette along behind him, forcing her to keep up. His mind was set on making the sure-win for his bet a reality. Only one person could probably help him out. By doing just that, it meant only one thing: Enter the Ice Queen, Hotaru Imai. He wasn't exactly sure how this meeting would turn out… but it was going to be worth a try.

He grinned wryly to himself. "Let the game begin."

**.**

The game has begun. I love NxM to pieces.


	8. No Pets Allowed

**Disclaimer: **Nope.

**.**

P.H.- "If the king finds out that you're not a lady,

the police will take you to the tower of London where your head will be cut off."

**-Professor Henry Higgins. My Fair Lady (1964)**

**Chapter 8: No "Pets" Allowed**

**.**

They stood frozen still, eyes opened wide at the huge abode that towered over them.

There was a very odd aura stemming from the huge mansion. A vast garden with bushels of violets decorated the wide and vast front yard. French sculptured statues were placed in almost every area. Trees were sprouted everywhere, all of them trimmed in the shape to look like the symbol of a dollar bill.

Just outside in the corner of the pathway stood an overly elaborate granite sign that read: The Violet Flower.

Natsume stood in silence. He knew that his cousin's odd taste in decorating was loud… but this was way overrated.

"Come on," he ordered to the brunette beside him.

Mikan wrinkled her nose at her surroundings. "What's all this junk?" she asked while gawking around.

"It's Hotaru's style," Natsume snorted out simply. "She's the top dog when it comes to planning people's weddings. But these days she usually hosts a lot of societies and debutante balls for women of noble families." He shook his head, laughing sardonically as he raised his fist to knock upon the door. "I don't understand why such a weird person who stinks so bad at fashion gets so much business…"

Then as if on cue, before he had the chance to knock, the door suddenly opened, revealing another (in his opinion), odd person who seemed to stink at fashion.

He wore a long-sleeved pale pink buttoned shirt with French-like frilly cuffs ending at the sleeves. His crystalized lavender pupils glistened with excitement. The ecstatic looking blonde flashed a bright smile. "Natsume!" he greeted in delight. "My, this is a surprise! We've been expecting you."

The raven haired model narrowed his eyes in annoyance. Shrugging off the ecstatic greeting, he let himself in as he brushed past the oddball's shoulder while saying, "Hn. If you were expecting me, then it wasn't much of a surprise now was it?"

Ignoring the sharp remark, the blonde simply giggled, "You haven't changed at all. Goodness!" He put a hand to his mouth, pretending to be taken aback. "Everyone must love you. Being a top model and a young heir seems to only improve that *coughs* _'smart-ass'_- and _**adorable**_ attitude of yours. You should be so proud."

Natsume stiffened before turning to burn a cold glare in the blonde's direction. "Naru," he growled slowly. "Why don't you try being useful for once, go get your damn mistress of the house, and get out of my sight."

Disregarding the merciless aura, Naru simply patted the young heir on his shoulder and basked a bright smile. "My, it's been far too long since I've been able to hear you speak so coldly towards me, Natsume. I have to admit that it does give me great pleasure to see that your arrogance is only improving with each blessed year." Before Natsume could whack him upside the head, he clasped both hands together and quickly added, "I'll go and fetch Madam Imai for you right now. Please make yourselves comfortable while I go and get her."

After bowing respectfully to his guests, he took trotted off in light skips towards another part of the hall. Curious about the premises, Mikan took the time to admire the massive interior about the mansion. Everything appeared to be tidy, wholesome and flawlessly organized. Just above the ceiling, a few speakers could be heard playing the classical music of the French arts. It felt like standing inside of a luxury five-star restaurant.

Then suddenly, her attention shifted to an eccentric statue that was just begging for her curious fingers to experiment. She walked over to the conspicuously peculiar object, hoping to get a share for a little test-touch.

"What the hell are you doing now?"

Surprised by the sudden stolid voice, Mikan froze for a small fracture of a second, and turned to find the young Hyuuga heir staring at her with both arms crossly folded over his chest. He arched a skeptic brow at the little brunette, concluding that the little twit was clearly up to something.

Mikan shrugged, folding both hands innocently behind her back as if nothing was wrong. "I'm not doing anything. What makes you think that I did something?"

Snorting at her act, Natsume folded both arms crossly over his shoulders and grinned. "Don't you know that things break whenever a klutz like you decides to go and touch them? You're danger prone whenever it comes to valuables. Ruka's collection of now broken vases should be evident enough." With one long stride, he closed the little gap in between them and said, "I warned you what would happen if you tried to go acting out of hand, didn't I?" His eyes narrowed, showing that he wasn't pleased. "Want to make that a reality?"

Ready to answer the audaciously cocky jerk with a smart-aleck retort, Mikan opened her mouth to speak, but closed it with second thoughts. She suddenly remembered the warning of consequences from earlier and decided that… it would probably be better not to get on his bad side.

Damn it all... She hated how fast and well the overly brazen dictator could intimidate her. It was beyond irritating ─ as if she didn't even have the permission granted to breathe.

The brunette inhaled slowly and looked away as she trailed off, "N-no…"

"Good girl," Natsume replied sternly. He smirked, knowing full well that she wasn't ready to live a nightmare just yet. "I knew you'd see it my way."

The bit of silence was soon to be interrupted as the sudden vibration from his phone erupted from his side-pocket. Natsume muttered a small curse of breath and a sigh before pulling out his phone.

Frowning at the unfamiliar number, he thumbed the answer button and irresolutely answered, "Hello? Who is this? Julietta?" His brows knitted together, slowly coming back to memorization of the name. Grinning to himself, he pocketed one hand into his jeans while leaning against the wall. "You're one of the twins, right? Oh, yeah, I remember now… Which one of you is the hot one again?"

Mikan sneered in disgust with a roll of her eyes at his bad boy attitude. Well, she sure as hell didn't feel like hanging around to listen to him flirt on the phone.

Tired from just standing around, she decided to go make her own personal tour around the mansion. Prancing about, she whistled a cheery, insouciant tune while taking in every décor of statues and portraits, but stopped short once her hazel eyes caught sight of a blue, porcelain Noh mask.

Her brows creased together as she scrutinized the peculiar object, noticing how it appeared to be staring right back at her. "Wow… What is this thing?"

Still curious, she used the tip of her index finger to reach out and touch it when suddenly…

"Before you touch that, you should know that there's an interesting story behind it."

The sudden monochromatic voice caused Mikan to flinch on the spot and turn around.

She caught sight of a young woman with short, coal-black hair standing just behind her. Her violet, amethyst eyes were hardened with both arms were neatly folded over her chest as she stared at the brunette. Though stirringly intimidating as she appeared to be, she had this stunning… beauty that made her stand out in her own admirable way.

"The story," the woman continued pallidly. "Do you want to hear it? It's quite interesting, actually... There's a legend that says whoever so touches the mask shall be haunted for more than ten days until their face is taken. Once you touch the mask, it leaves a special mark upon you. It will come haunting you in your sleep for ten days weeping for the dire need to take your face. After this, you will fall ill for another ten days." She came over to stand just beside the mask, staring at with infatuation. "That following night, once you fall asleep, the mask will appear once more. Finally seizing the chance, it will cry out in agonizing pain, mourning for the need of your face and will devour it whole. The mask will have you bound to it for all eternity… at least until it craves the need for another poor wretch."

Mikan felt a small chill crawl upon her spine. She slightly tensed as if an eerie feeling was growing in the pit of her stomach. Her brows creased together as she stared at the odd woman.

_What the hell kind of a story is that…?_

The young woman turned her attention back towards the brunette. "So," she began, "do you still want to touch it?"

Gulping through a dry throat, Mikan slowly shook her head. "N-no…"

"Pity," the woman sighed apathetically and clicked her tongue. "And here I was really looking forward to seeing the legend come to life… Ah well."

"Hotaru," a stern, masculine voice called out. Natsume appeared on the scene as he casually made his arrival. He nodded curtly and said, "I've been waiting for you."

The raven-haired woman turned to look at her cousin. "Natsume," she responded nonchalant, "I can't say that I'm happy to see you… but welcome." She flashed a small grin to Mikan before deciding to walk off. "Follow me," she called over her shoulder.

Finally having the mistress of the house present and accounted for, everyone gradually made their way into the next living room. Still a little weary about the current situation, Natsume took the time to give a short scolding to the brunette.

"Listen," he whispered sternly, grabbing her by the wrist. "I want you to make a good impression on this woman. That means no touching anything, no bad mouth, and… Better yet, just don't speak at all."

"Stop always trying to tell me what to do," Mikan whispered back aloud. "I know how to act."

Frowning with a displeased scowl, Natsume grabbed a hold of Mikan's wrist. "You better not screw this up," he growled. "This woman holds my good chance in getting my bet in for the gold, and you─"

"Hyuuga," the topic of subject called to her headstrong cousin. "Stop flirting already and come have a seat. Don't you get enough women to cool your hormonal urges?"

A small grunt escaped from Natsume's lips as he twitched, biting back his tongue to restrain himself from saying anything vulgar. After shooing one final warning to Mikan, he sighed tiredly and found a comfortable spot upon the living room couch.

"Tea time!" A peppy looking blonde made his bubbling entrance, bringing along three porcelain glass cups of tea. He sat the tray upon the table, muttered something randomly buoyant in French and bid a cheerful, "Adieu."

Natsume frowned as he took his leave. "You still have him hanging about the place?" he asked, annoyed.

"Narumi is my second hand in wedding preparations as well as coaching with my debutantes," Hotaru neutrally answered. "Not to mention, he's the best servant around when it comes to cooking. I hate doing trivial things." She took a small sip of her tea and sighed. "Anyway, I presume that there's a good reason you decided to come?"

"No holding out now," Natsume admitted with a shrug of his shoulders. "I came here─"

"Of your own free will, I might add," Hotaru interjected. "You didn't even bother so much as to set up a damn appointment."

Natsume scoffed with a grin. "Look at the little debutante coach using such foul language," he teased. "I knew that fake facade of 'manners' and 'modesty' was all just for show. Hn. Typical in women…"

Hotaru kept her lax composure as she took another small sip of tea. "At least I'm not an arrogant playboy who has nothing better to do than to look cute, smile for the camera, and play 'squeeze-time' with every woman he sees. Unlike you, I have a life."

Natsume had to admit that his cousin's cold words for a comeback really did just internally scar him in a way. She was just as proud and arrogant as he was. But right now wasn't the time for fighting. Instead of bickering, he needed to find a way to get on her good side.

He cleared his throat, hoping to switch the subject. "Anyway… I had a good reason for coming here. It's about a small project that Ruka and I talked about. We are─"

Hotaru swiftly finished for him, "I heard it all from Ruka."

"Ruka?" Natsume asked, slightly caught off guard. "What... He told you?"

"That's right," Hotaru replied plainly. "He told me the whole thing as a matter of fact. He said that he knew you would come crying to my shoulder sooner or later about this whole…'project' that you two like to call it."

Natsume closed his eyes with a sardonic grin.

_Damn… So Ruka had got ahead of me. He knows me too well_.

"He also said that it was best for you to go through with it on your own instead of counting on the expectance of help," Hotaru added plainly with a few more sips from her tea. "It wouldn't be much of a bet if I agreed to play my part in this. And as odd as I find it to agree with him, I think he's right. You and I have never been able to see eye to eye in the first place, so I don't see the point in me helping you with _that_" She gestured her head over towards the inquisitive brunette who was snooping around other statues. "I can see that you even had her primped up and clean just to get on my good side. Not half bad, though I can still see the hint of poverty just by watching her."

Natsume flickered his eyes over from the brunette then back to his cousin. He broodingly sighed and cupped a palm underneath his chin as he grunted, "Hn. So you figured me out?"

Hotaru scoffed, "I'm no fool, Natsume. Only idiots allow themselves to be run over by simple things pretending to be obscure. It's no trick that I'm not familiar with."

The crisp, dried words coming from the all-supreme, Hotaru Imai, made Natsume all but laugh as his eyes rolled in annoyance.

So, in the end she had beaten him to the game, huh? He frowned to himself in thought, frustrated with the fact that things weren't going at all how he had planned. He knew his cousin to be the stubborn type, one who was always prone to sticking with her own ideals.

He thought to himself for a good while… Then, suddenly, a light bulb turned on and a smug, wry grin thinned at his lips. Folding both arms behind his head, he leaned back into the cushions of the couch, gave a small click of his tongue and asked, "Did Ruka also mention the result of our bet?"

Hotaru shrugged indifferent. "He mentioned something like that. At least, he told me what's to become of _your_ career if you happen to lose." She added two more sugars to her tea, sending a small grin to the young heir while saying, "All the more reason for me to sit back and watch. I'd love the chance to see you leading yourself into your greatest downfall."

Natsume snorted, "That right? Well… do you wish to know his embarrassment?"

Freezing her lips at the edge of her teacup, Hotaru froze to flash her purple eyes back up at her cunning cousin. "He has a punishment?" she asked, ears suddenly becoming attentive.

"Yep. And I'll bet that you wish to know what it is, don't you, Imai?"

Natsume definitely had her attention now. She arched a brow, leading him to continue.

Stifling back a tired yawn, the raven haired model gave a stretch of his arms and sat up to look at Hotaru fully. "If Ruka loses, he is to do something ultimately humiliating by my command. Also," he grinned smug, "he has to do this while confessing his love to you…on live national television." A confident aura surrounded him as he took in his cousin's look of interest. His smirk widened. "Interested, aren't you?"

"Hardly," Hotaru lied flatly. "But I can't say that I'm _not_ interested either." She turned her head to Mikan who was now reaching out to touch another expensive valuable. Her eyes hardened as she snapped her fingers and grated out, "You!"

The sudden voice caught the curious brunette off guard. She froze on the spot, both arms sticking to her side like that of a soldier.

Closing her eyes with a demoralizing sigh, Hotaru pointed casually to a nearby stool. "Sit," her pallid voice demanded.

Normally, Mikan would've found herself snapping back with a sharp retort after being ordered around so easily... but the cold glare given to her made her want to think otherwise. Gulping through a dried throat, she nodded and complied willingly.

Smiling at the brunette's obedience, Hotaru sat aside her cup of tea before slowly arising from the comforts of her chair. "Come on Hyuuga. I'll walk you out." She made sure to look back at Mikan as she sternly muttered, "Stay."

Natsume followed Hotaru towards the front door while arching a highly amused brow, half impressed with his cousin's lead of authority. It must run in the family after all…

"So," he prompted boringly, "from the looks of things, I'm guessing that you're willing to go through with this game of mine?"

"Still deciding," Hotaru droned, shrugging her shoulders while sparing a small grin towards her cousin. "I'll test her out with a few little methods that I normally use on my debutantes. Then, I'll see how it goes from there and decide if I like her or not. Come back in about two hours."

"You should watch out for her stubborn attitude," Natsume warned her. "She's a feisty little kitten who won't hesitate to bite back if given the chance. Also, she has a bad habit for taking anything that her grubby little fingers happen to touch."

"I can see that."

"You think that you can handle her?"

Now, at this, Hotaru had to scoff. She snorted at the nonsensical question, folding both arms over her chest as if the answer were obvious. "Natsume… You should already know that I run low on patience and practically hate the thought of having an animal, especially a stray 'cat' basking in my presence. I'll do with her as how I please, so stop bothering me about it, already."

Natsume presented a snort of his own at the woman's clear-cut persona. Then again, she was always one with words… "Tch, so the Ice Queen will be using her own way of working, huh?" He took the small time to scan about the interior of the abode before wrinkling his nose as he turned to look back at his cousin. "I wonder if will suck as bad as your poor methods for planning weddings. By the way, you should quit while you're ahead."

One of Hotaru's brows slightly twitched as her amethyst eyes narrowed into a glare. "This family only needs one model and cocky young 'heir' with no brain. You just leave the planning situations to me." She wasted no time as she shifted the knob of the door with a gesture of her head, "Now, get out."

Unfazed by the rather cold words of a valedictory good-bye, Natsume took his good time as he made a few steps out through the door. Feeling a mocking grin curving at the corners of his lips, he stopped short to turn around for one final, smart remark, but Hotaru didn't even give him the chance.

Refusing to allow him to get another word in, she quickly slammed the door shut in his face. Seeing as how she had gotten rid of one pest, she brushed both hands off with a sigh, and made her way back into the living room to deal with the other. Her violet eyes studied the young woman who still was in the mode of sitting quietly without a word.

Moderately poised and displaying noble prowess, Hotaru clicked her tongue and studied the brunette. "Mikan was it?" she asked casually.

Hearing the calling of her name, the brunette hesitantly lifted her head to find a pair of violet eye scrutinizing her appearance. Silence bounced back and forth between the two young women, eyes staring each other down to see who would be the first to break.

"Well," Hotaru started, breaking the quiet aura, "hope you know that you have been left in my care for the time being. Natsume won't be coming back for another two hours or so."

At sudden news, Mikan titled her head to the side and asked, "Why is he─?"

"Don't interrupt while others are still talking," Hotaru swiftly interjected. "That will be the first thing you should know when especially speaking with me. Another thing…" She made a few steps over towards the brunette, stopping just a few inches away from her. "You should also know that you will be learning a few things of what it means to be a real woman. In your case, there's much to be dealt with, fixed with, and reflected upon. I hear that you have a bad habit for behaving like a stray cat. I'll tell you this…"

Hotaru's violet eyes grew hard as she hovered over the brunette. Uncomfortable with the sudden closeness, Mikan could only sink back against her chair with a swallowed gulp.

The young woman reached out to tuck a few auburn strands behind Mikan's ear while saying, "I detest things that don't obey by the rules. Anything that's out of order is a nuisance in my eyes. Cats, especially, are creatures that I cannot stand because they go against all of these things. Pets are not allowed in my presence. From now on, you will do as I say when I say it. I'm called the Ice Queen for a good reason. Hell will freeze over by the time I'm done with you."

A shudder of fear and admiration shot through the brunette's veins as she witnessed how powerfully moving the young woman's structure of words were. She was undeniably fierce, yet so… serenely beautiful, composed, and flawlessly sanguine. It was no wonder as to why she and Natsume were related…

Then next, her lips thinned into what Mikan could've sworn to be a smile.

Hotaru gave a small flip to her dark, silk bangs and nodded approvingly. "Well, my new 'guest.' Welcome to my domain. Let's begin, shall we?"

**.**

The Ice Queen arrives! Poor Mikan -_-


	9. Hot Sauce and Bloody Vowels

**Disclaimer: **NoOO.

**.**

P.H.- "Say your vowels."

E.D.- "Aay, Eeh, Aah, Ow, Yoh."

P.H.- "Stop! A. E. I. O. U. Say them again."

E.D.- "I won't say any more of those bloody vowels!"

**-Professor Henry Higgins, Eliza Doolittle. My Fair Lady (1964)**

**Chapter 9: Hot Sauce and "Bloody Vowels"**

**.**

What a strange situation… Out of all the things that she could have been involved in, Mikan swore to herself that she should have known better.

Her whole world turned upside down ever since her fated encounter with a certain raven haired model of whom she quickly learned to hate more than anything. Then what could happen next, you might ask?

Somehow or another, her life was beginning to run on the opposite side of the track. Rather than stealing and usually getting what she wanted by force, Mikan somehow ended up in the hands of the raven haired 'demon,' and was now in the claws of his 'Ice Queen' for a cousin.

She frowned, irritation evident on her face as she stood still. The young woman with coal black hair kept a distant expression to her own, looking slightly interested with what she was seeing.

Hotaru studied her face for a brief moment. "How old are you, Mikan?" she asked right out of the blue.

Mikan gave a light shrug of the shoulders. "Twenty-one, I'm guessing… Why ya ask?"

Hearing such horrible sentence of pronunciation made Hotaru wince in disgust. "Your way of speaking is terrible…" She began to pace in a circular movement around the brunette, inspecting her carefully. Her voice was low and calm as she spoke. "So you're twenty-one years old, right Mikan?"

"Y-yeah…" Mikan continued to keep still as she found herself suddenly being interrogated.

Hotaru continued to circle around her subject. "Twenty-one, huh? You lived on the streets all your life, correct?"

By this time, Mikan was skeptical of the odd questions being asked of her. She watched Hotaru's every move carefully. "W-what the heck is it to you anyway, huh?"

"What district?" Hotaru ignored the question.

Mikan furrowed her brows with a grunt. "Como district…" she replied impassively.

"Como?" Hotaru ceased from moving, coming to a short stop in front of the brunette. She arched a brow in curiosity. "How long?"

Mikan shifted backwards, feeling a little awkward. "For as long… as I can remember, I guess."

"Como district, huh?" Hotaru said casually. She made a few steps closer towards Mikan and then reached out to tip her chin upwards. "Now I get it… That answer should've been obvious. A life-long share of poverty in Como district of all places. No wonder you have such a horrible way with words and manners."

"I ain't that bad at speaking!" Mikan defended herself. Rich or poor, she was still a person with feelings.

Hotaru let a small grin play at her lips. "Headstrong, defiant, and a mouth of your own… I can see that my poor cousin must have had his hands full."

Mikan snorted under her breath, "That stupid jerk…"

The raven-haired woman gave a small "Hm," and swiftly turned to walk away. "Follow me," she ordered over her shoulder.

Mikan hesitated at first, but from the cold and authoritative glare given to her, she didn't bother to resist. She followed behind Hotaru as they both made their way towards the upstairs balcony. The cautious brunette frowned to herself, skeptical as to what was going to happen next.

_Just where in the heck are we going…?_

As if she had heard her mind aloud, Hotaru turned her head around and said, "We're going to begin with a few methods that I want to test you out on."

"O-oh…" Mikan trailed off.

Hotaru turned back around with an amusing smile playing at her lips. "This should be interesting. I've never had a lesson taught towards a resident from such a barbaric district such as Como. If I really think about it, this is actually starting to sound like fun."

They made their way towards another part of the hall, entering in a wide-spread room of French décor. Everything was wide and overly organized in Mikan's own opinion.

"Have a seat, Mikan" Hotaru instructed, pointing to a loveseat.

The brunette sighed with a grunt. She was getting awfully tired of being told what to do so easily. "I'm okay with standing up, thanks. I don't feel like sitting down right now."

Stopping short to turn around, Hotaru's violet eyes glinted with a sharp spark of authority. "It wasn't an option."

Feeling the air grow awkwardly cold, Mikan decided that it would be better to abide by the so called 'rules.' She unwillingly found a comfortable position on the loveseat. "Stupid bossy witch," she grunted under her breath.

At that moment, Hotaru felt as if a small tick was growing at the back of her head. Slowly, she titled her head to the side to strike an eerie glare towards Mikan's direction. "Why don't you say that more directly this time?" she said in a cool and icy tone.

Mikan winced back in response to her cold and massive aura. She gulped inwardly while giving a light shake of her head, holding her tongue in place.

"Hn," Hotaru decided to ignore her. She walked over towards a tall bookshelf and began to sort through the alphabetized contents. After a bit of eye-searching, she finally found what she was looking for. "Ah. Here it is." She pulled out a medium-sized purple book. "Here," she said while handing it to the brunette.

"What's this big 'ol thing?" Mikan asked as she opened the book. Her hazel eyes scanned quizzically over the first few pages.

"A book of sentence structure," Hotaru answered while situating herself upon a stool. "That there, is a reliable resource of vowels, pronouns, and the utmost knowledge of speaking with formalities. It even has its own share of Webster's Dictionary and Thesaurus."

"The hell?" Mikan started flipping through the contents. "What… the heck is with all of these words? There's so much!"

Hotaru shrugged, "Those are all formal structures of whole sentences. You'll be learning those once you study a great deal of vocabulary. Of course, you'll have to have your vowels memorized properly first."

"Vowels?" Mikan asked curiously with a cock of her head. "What 'er those?"

"Well for starters," Hotaru began, "they are letters of pronunciation that will help you improve your way of speaking. In this unforgiving world, you are at the age of twenty-one, roaming around naïve and uneducated. A young woman should have the education of reading, writing, fine arts, and above all else, proper etiquette, especially when it comes to speaking. I want you to begin memorizing those vowels from the first page of chapter one."

Mikan watched with a gulp as she propped an elbow on the edge of her chair, leaning her chin on the side of her hand. Her violet eyes glinted with a certain seriousness.

Hotaru grinned wryly. "Starting now. Let's begin."

**.**

"What!" An exclaim of surprise came from an overly stunned maid.

Once getting a full earful of what was to become of her young master and his so called 'bet for his career,' she couldn't help but gawk in awe. Natsume paid no mind to his little maid's shock of surprise and kept calm about the situation.

Nonoko's eyes widened as she stuttered, "Both you and Ruka-sama actually agreed to something s-so… indescribably ridiculous?" She shook her head, hoping that it was only a dream. "Absolutely not, Natsume-sama! W-why would you t-two… W-what were the two of you thinking?"

The handsome raven-haired man simply responded with a tired yawn. "Don't ask me how it happened, Nonoko," Natsume sighed out. "I'm not sure why I agreed to do something so stupid, myself. One way or another it just came out of nowhere…"

"Yet, you're still willing to go through with it?" Nonoko begged to disagree. "Natsume-sama! You just can't decide to take a strange woman upon yourself from the streets and do with her as how you please. Think of your career! W-what… will you do if word leaks out about this kind of a situation?"

Natsume held his hand up to prevent his overly dramatic maid from complaining. "That won't happen," he replied confident. "I've already decided to hide her out for a while, and hopefully avoid as much camera time as possible."

"Natsume-sama, now you know very well that something like that is not optional. You're always in the spotlight. With your good looks and rising fame it's… impossible to stay away from the media."

Natsume stared back at his maid for a few split seconds. "Hn," was all he said as he pulled out his pack of Pall Malls. He shrugged and sighed out, "So I'll just lie about it and tell them that she's a distant cousin." He lit up his cigarette and exhaled the smoke with another sigh. "As long as she doesn't screw up, everything should go by smoothly."

"Do you already trust her that much?" Nonoko asked him. "You barely even know anything about her."

The young master didn't bother to respond. He continued on with another quick swig of his cigarette. Nonoko gave a displeased frown.

"And yet, you still go smoking that darn cigarette without a care… Honestly…" Her expression gradually became serious. "You know that you have now involved this girl's life along with your own, don't you?"

Ignoring her once again, Natsume gave another small grunt and found himself falling backwards upon his leather couch. He frowned to himself.

To be honest, he really didn't know why the hell he was willing to go along with such a stupid bet himself. Was it purely out of boredom? Pride? After coming face to face (for the first time), with a woman who knew nothing of his bachelor status, did he take that as a challenge?

For some reason… he just couldn't simply let a weird woman like that go so easily.

"Natsume-sama?"

Interrupted from his thoughts, Natsume looked up to find his pretty little maid staring down at him.

Nonoko tugged at his shirt and asked, "What are you thinking? Really… it's kind of unfair don't you think, sir? What's to become of her after you've accomplished your goal?"

"Not my problem," Natsume replied uncaringly. "It will be up to her on what she wants to do with her future. We can just throw her back out towards the wolves for all I care."

"It's that cold attitude of yours that drives women away," Nonoko said with a few shakes of her head. "Maybe that's something you should work on as well, sir."

Natsume rolled his eyes, but considered the statement. A cold heart? Perhaps Nonoko was right about that one. He really wasn't one to care much for emotional creatures like women. It wasn't like he didn't care, he just… couldn't. They had too many 'feelings' to them ─ easily offended and serious beings.

Maybe his little maid was right… Perhaps he did have a heart of stone after all. Sighing beside himself, he arose from the couch and spared a quick glance up at the clock.

"Doesn't matter. It's about time for me to go and get her anyway." He sighed again, shoving both hands into his pockets. "I wonder how the Ice Queen is holding up with her right now…"

**.**

**Meanwhile at the residence of Hotaru Imai…**

"Again," Hotaru commanded with swift spoken authority.

"Aay, Eeh, Aah, Ow, Yoh."

"Disgusting," was the cold reply from the raven haired woman. "Just pitiful. Do it again."

Mikan sighed tiredly, holding back a curse of breath under the tip of her tongue as she droned, "Aaaay─"

"Is for what?"

The brunette had to stop and think for quick moment. "Aaaay… is for… apple?"

"Good," Hotaru nodded, appearing to be a little bit satisfied. "Now start over with "A" and sound like you know it. Begin."

There was a small fire beginning to stir within the little brunette's chest. She was already fed up with being told what to do from just one cold-hearted brute. There was no way that she would take on another.

"Damn, damn, damn!" she cursed with a few stomps of her foot. Her head had already done enough, taking its toll in thinking and memorizing.

Hotaru slightly winced from such vulgar language. "Mikan," she said calmly, "you're going to learn how to speak properly and that begins with learning your vowels. I won't tolerate immoral comments in my presence."

"I'm tired of saying the same stupid thing over and over again!" Mikan defied with a fueled bitter sense of resent. She threw the book to the ground. "If I have to say one more _bloody _vowel…!"

"Stop swearing," Hotaru ordered in a calm-like manner.

The brunette gave a bold glare. She opened her mouth and purposely started to slur her words. "I-hate-these-stinking-**bloody**-vowels. I hate them!"

That was enough. Without saying a word, Hotaru slowly arose from her loveseat and walked over to a nearby cupboard. She brought upon a stirring silence as she started searching. Mikan curiously watched from her seat as the raven haired woman went about searching through the cupboard.

"Mikan," Hotaru's monotone-like voice called smoothly, "did Natsume ever mention to you of how fond I am of spicy things? Our family is well known for our infamous recipe of hot sauce combined with the ingredient of a Jolokia pepper, one of the spiciest peppers in the world. It's a sacred element."

She took out a medium-sized bottle that glistened a bright red. Smiling beside herself, she turned around towards the defiant woman and held up the contents.

"I know how much you like chocolates. Why not give this a try as well? It's quite tasty."

Mikan arched a skeptical. "Does it taste better than chocolates?" she asked curiously.

It was a wonder as to how gullible the naive woman could be. Hotaru's smile gradually turned into a wicked grin. "Oh, yes. This tastes _a lot _better than chocolates…"

**Just outside the humble abode…**

Making his appointed arrival, a raven haired model had finished parking his sports car just beside the outer gates. Natsume whistled a light tune as he casually made his way to the door.

He sighed a little to himself, thinking that it was best to go ahead and take back the little piece of baggage from his cousin while he had the chance. He clicked his tongue as he took out his phone to catch the appointed time.

"She should be about ready," he said expectantly.

He gave a small sigh before running a hand through his hair, muttering a little under his breath. Just before he could get the chance to knock, the door suddenly flew open. Natsume blinked twice, half surprised to see a worried looking blonde staring back at him.

Narumi's purple pupils widened. "Natsume!" he exclaimed in relief. "It's about time. Thank goodness you're here! Honestly…"

Blinking back in confusion, Natsume simply shrugged and let himself in. "I'm here just like I should be," he replied nonchalant.

"Y-yes…" Narumi shut the door. He started to fiddle with the cuffs of his pink sleeves, appearing to be awkwardly nervous. "Oh dear…Oh dear, oh dear," he repeated to himself.

Catching on to his sudden odd display, Natsume stared back at him quizzically. "...What the hell are you doing?"

The troubled Narumi muttered something quietly in French. He shook his head again, "Oh dear, oh dear. She's done it again…"

By this time Natsume was losing his patience. Normally he wouldn't care what the oddball would say or do, but somehow in the end, he became curious anyway. "Naru... What the hell is wrong with you?"

Narumi began to bite at his nails. "It's quite terrible, actually," he began frantically, "Madam Imai really should've known better… That poor, poor girl… That sweet, sweet child..."

Natsume arched a brow, slightly worried over hearing the two words, "poor" and "girl."

His brows creased together as he found his body shifting to look at Narumi fully. "What are you-?"

"_Aaaaargh_!"

Suddenly, a blood-shrieking scream came about.

Both Natsume and Narumi turned their heads to the direction of the upstairs balcony to see what was going on. And as if on cue, right out of nowhere, a frantic brunette came running aimlessly down the stairs with tears shedding from the corner of her eyes.

"Aaagh!" she shrieked, fanning her hands at her mouth, as if she were desperate for air. "Ah, ah! Make it stop, make it stop!" Her tongue was a bright red… no, wait… it was redder than red. It was practically maroon...! "Ah!" she cried, stomping her feet in agitation. "Hot, it's too hot! Make it stop!"

Natsume watched her in awe as she ran circles around him. Just what the hell… is going on here? He was inevitably _speechless_.

"…What the hell?"

"Fear not, Miss Mikan," Narumi tried his best to console the poor girl. "I will take you to the kitchen for a cup of cold ice water. Come now, come now." He went for the bold move in trying to take her by the arm. "Here we go, sweetheart. Let's─"

"Ah!" Mikan ignored him, roughly pushing him out of the way. She took off running back and forth across the room. "It burns! Make it stop!"

"Miss Mikan!" Narumi called after her. "Please don't run amongst the house like this, you'll end up breaking something. Please come back!" He beckoned aloud as he ran after her, desperate to have her calm down. "Mademoiselle!"

Utterly confused by the present situation, Natsume could only stare after them in silence. He was only gone for a good few hours and something like this happens. Just what the hell was happening right now?

"Ah, Hyuuga. You're back just in time."

The raven haired man turned to find his cool and collected cousin casually making her way downstairs. She let her hand slide down the stairwell to match with her graceful walk.

Natsume simply stared at her, hiding his expense for being shocked. "Imai… What did you do?"

Hotaru's stoic expression slowly transitioned into an amusing grin. "She had a bad mouth, so I had to take care of it somehow." She turned her purple pupils to Natsume and asked, "Do you recall our special family recipe hinted with Jolokia pepper?"

Natsume's eyes widened then settled. "…You didn't."

"Ah!" Mikan could be seen running back from the other side of the room.

"Miss Mikan!" Narumi continued to chase after her. "Please don't run, I said!"

Hotaru smirked. "Oh… I did. Those were a very interesting two hours for me. I even found out that she happens to be a former resident of Como."

"Como?" Natsume asked, surprised. He kept his eyes on the still frantic brunette with a snort of breath.

Hotaru nodded casually, "That's right. Oh, and by the way…" She handed Natsume a medium-sized purple book. "Have her go over the first few chapters before she comes back. I want most of her vocabulary definitions memorized."

Natsume eyed her suspiciously. _So she's going to have her come back? Just what the hell is with this woman…?_

"Aaagh! It burns, it burns!" Here came Mikan once again, running across the other end of the room.

The raven haired model stared on in an awkward silence. His cousin actually had the guts to go this far... Women were really strange creatures after all. They were quick to make a move for the worst case scenario if things didn't abide by their own rules.

His brows knitted together with a sigh as he shrugged, "…This is why I plan on staying single."

"A very interesting girl we have here, my dear cousin," Hotaru pondered in amusement. "I think we'll become good friends." Her lips thinned into what Natsume could have sworn to be a smile. "I'm beginning to like her already."

**.**

Hotaru puts Mikan through hell and back^^


	10. Say My Name

**Disclaimer: **The story is mine. GA & My Fair Lady is not.

**.**

P.H.- "All right, Eliza, say it again."

E.D.- "The rine in spine sties minely in the pline."

P.H.- " *sighs* The _rain _in _Spain_ stays _mainly_ in the _plain__._"

E.D- "Didn't ah sayuh that?"

P.H.- "No, Eliza, you didn't "sayuh" that, you didn't even "say" that."

**-Professor Henry Higgins, Eliza Doolittle. My Fair Lady (1964)**

**Chapter 10: Say My Name**

**.**

**Thursday, October 5: 10:53am**

Natsume sat on the seat of his favorite leather chair, one arm propped upon the edge with his legs slightly spread apart. His ruby-red orbs focused intently on a certain brunette as he arched a derisive brow.

Staring back with an unwavering gaze just as bold, Mikan sat straightly poised with a smug grin painted upon her lips. She crossed one slender leg over the other, breathed in slowly, and gestured with a confident nod.

The hot model challenged her with a boyish grin. His monochromatic voice ushered out, "Admire."

Confidence reigned supreme as Mikan stated confidently, "To think highly of someone."

Natsume nodded expectantly. "Spelled?"

"A.D.M.I.R.E. Admire," the brunette firmly answered.

"Use it in a sentence."

"I always like to admire the color pink."

Sitting just at the edge of the couch, Nonoko gave a small round of applause. She whistled lightly, half impressed by what she was hearing. "She got it right."

"Not bad," Natsume admitted with an indifferent shrug of his shoulders. He returned his eyes back to the book in his hand and cleared his throat. "Alright, onto the next word: Belated."

Swift as ever, the facetious little brunette hit the mark while saying, "Late, or occurring after the expected time."

"How is it spelled?"

"B. E. L. A. T. E. D. Belated."

"Go ahead and use it in a sentence."

"I wanted to make sure to wish you a happy belated birthday."

Natsume responded with another approving nod. "Not bad at all, little girl. Alright, it's time for the next word. Ambidextrous."

"What?" Mikan asked, instantly caught off guard. "T-that word wasn't in the beginning section."

"Sure it was," Natsume replied casually. "Why else would I say it? It was a part of chapter one, right here."

"No. It wasn't," Mikan countered in defense. "If it was in chapter one then I would have had the word memorized, already."

"Look, either you know it or you don't. I'll be the one to decide what definitions that you need to go over."

"That's why I'm telling you," the brunette defied. "That word wasn't a part of my vocabulary list."

Natsume's eyes hardened with his brow slightly twitching in annoyance. "And I'm telling _you_ to hurry up and spell the damn word anyway. Nonoko," he turned expectantly to his maid while trying to hand over the book, "here, you be the one to take over. I'm done with her for now."

"I'm afraid that I can't do that sir," Nonoko respectfully declined and handed the book back to him. "There are some weekly errands that I have to take care of. I can't afford to waste time on anything else at the moment."

The raven haired model sighed in frustration. "I've got matters of my own to be dealt with. Today I have a photo shoot set up by J-15 Magazine, especially done for their Halloween catalog special. You expect me to miss out on such an important event for a woman like her?" he pointed ever so rudely at the brunette.

"Would you stop calling me that, already?" Mikan groaned with a roll of her eyes. "Woman, wench, street rat... That's all you ever call me. When are you going to start calling me by my actual name, huh?"

Natsume snorted at the stupid question, "When I see that you no longer have manners worthy of only a street rat and when you learn to hold your tongue, only _then _will I call you by your name… maybe."

"I can't believe how stuck-up you are." The brunette pouted her cheeks. "You're really starting to annoy the hell out of me, do you know that?"

"Mikan!" Nonoko gasped out. "Oh, my poor ears… Watch your mouth young lady."

"You see?" Mikan waved her hand towards Nonoko as given evidence. "Even your own silly maid has the common sense to call me by my name. Yet the own master of the house is so stubborn…"

Ignoring her, Natsume turned back to his maid and said, "You don't expect me to actually take her with me do you? That's just like asking for an accident to happen…"

"My sincerest apologies, Natsume-sama," Nonoko smiled weakly. "However, you do know that I always leave at least for three days each month for the small chance of seeing relatives and taking care of other affairs. It's always been this way, and it's the only bit of a break that I have."

Never one for compromising, the young master gave a small "Ch," and grumbled lowly, "To hell with this…"

"Besides," Nonoko giggled at the adamant behavior, "this bet was made between Ruka-sama and yourself, Natsume-sama. You took the responsibility of taking care of this young woman for six whole months, teaching her and educating her under your care. You'll have to make do somehow."

Natsume blinked back twice. "Nonoko… You're asking for the impossible. There's no way. Absolutely, there's no damn way that I'm going to take _this_ woman with _me_ to _my_ photo shoot, and that's final."

* * *

><p><strong>Building Number: 45 Picture That-Studios, Ocean Drive, 1306...<strong>

* * *

><p>"Seriously. Why can't you just say it already?"<p>

_Why were all women made with a mouth to speak? _

That one thought continued to shift through Natsume's mind as he did his best to close off ears from the talkative brunette walking beside him.

The sound of footsteps echoed aloud throughout the halls as the bickering pair continued making their way towards the elevator. Natsume sped up the brisk pace to his strides, hoping to lose the annoying woman in the process. With a medium-sized purple book in hand, he cursed under his breath, hating the idea of having to carry it around.

Mikan was finding it more and more difficult to put up with his stubborn personality. "Just come on and say it already. Why do you have to be so stubborn?" She continued her pestering as she followed him into the elevator.

"You sure like to be annoying," Natsume sighed out, pressing the button for Floor-B.

"If you would just call me by my name, then I wouldn't have to be so annoying."

Seconds passed on to what felt like minutes, until finally… _**Ding!**_

That sound had never sounded so sweet to Natsume's ears. The elevator door opened, not wasting a single second as he set out for his appointed destination. He strode his way through the hall, rolling his eyes while ignoring the repeated complaints coming from the irritated woman.

"Say it already," Mikan tugged at the corner of his shirt. "Say my name you… jerk!"

"Why the hell do you care so much?" Fed up with her constant whining, Natsume stopped short to turn and look at her. "It's not like you don't know your own name yourself. Besides," he snorted, "you're just as bad as me when it comes to titles... You haven't even called me by my name yet."

Mikan glared back at him, challenging his crimson eyes. She placed both hands on either side of her hips. "Natsume…"

Unsure of what he just heard, Natsume raised a skeptic brow, "What?"

"Natsume," Mikan repeated more sternly. "There, you see now? I said your name even if I didn't want to. Now you've got to say mine. I want to hear you say it."

Really, Natsume had to admit that this woman was beyond frustrating. No, scratch that… She was frustrating, bleating, and eccentric all at the same time. His eyes studied her hazel orbs as if trying to decipher her odd actions. He sighed in frustration, "You want me to say your name that badly?"

Mikan nodded sternly, "I do…"

The hot model stared at her in silence for a few seconds. Slowly, he opened his mouth gasping out as if he were about to speak. Mikan impatiently awaited the call of her name. Her eyes watched his mouth closely, expecting the very next word to being with the letter "M."

Natsume gasped again. "…Fat chance."

Mikan's face instantly fell from excitement to resent. "Jerk! I can't believe─"

"Hey, there! Natsume!"

Another voice was quick to interrupt. Stumbling upon the scene, a handsome looking young man with coal black hair and red highlights interrupted them. He waved excitedly to the model as he made his way over.

Natsume turned to him expectantly. "Oh, Kenji, it's just you. Well, is everything all set?"

Kenji patted his shoulder with a grin and nodded. "Yeah-buddy, it's all set! We've got a dressing room for you and everything. Come on, follow me."

He gestured his head for Natsume to follow and directed him along down the hall. After turning another corner towards a different corridor, they made their way right into a backdoor studio. It didn't take long for the brunette to find herself immediately being blown away by the scenery.

"Whoa!" Mikan gasped in shock.

Everything was set up to be like the feel of a haunted mansion along the lines of an eerie-looking graveyard. A propped set of a bright full moon illuminated the dark night background. Neatly carved jack o' lanterns were placed around the sides of tall and skinny, wicked-like trees. It was mind-blowing and thrilling!

Kenji rubbed both palms together as if to get into the zone before turning to Natsume. "Now, as your manager, I made sure to go ahead and have the girl model brought here ahead of time. I was thinking that… Whoa there, Natsume!" His eyes widened in surprise after finally taking notice of the little brunette. "You didn't tell me that you were bringing your girlfriend along with you. Another easy woman already? Whew ─ you sure move fast!"

Mikan frowned in response, a little insulted by the blatant comment. "Girlfriend? What kind of an idiot do you-_mmf!_"

"We're not together," Natsume responded casually while covering her mouth.

"Oh yeah?" Kenji asked, still not convinced. "Then just who is she, eh?"

"She's… a distant… cousin," Natsume brushed off smoothly. "She doesn't get out much and hates being left alone. I had no choice but to bring her along with me for today."

"That right?" Kenji took the time to admire Mikan's feminine physique. "Hm… she's pretty cute for a cousin there, Natsume. I mean she's _really_ cute."

"Weren't you supposed to be showing me my dressing room?" Natsume asked annoyed.

Kenji laughed with a snap of his fingers, "Oh, that's right! We have one for you just towards the back. Your costume is all set up too. Follow me." He left, waving a hand for Natsume to follow but not before sending a playful wink to the cute brunette.

"_Mmf!_" Mikan muffled out suddenly. She slapped Natsume's hand away from her mouth. "What did you do that for?"

Natsume exasperated a sigh as he took hold of her hand and plopped her down upon a nearby stool. He shoved the purple book roughly to her chest and begrudgingly said, "Here, take this. You should look over the small bit of vocabulary while I go start this photo shoot. By the way, try not to speak or bother me if you can help it."

Mikan frowned in return. "Funny how you like to order someone around so easily when you can't even call them by their own _name_." She snorted under her breath, "Arrogant jerk."

"Arrogant, huh?" Natsume repeated with a taunting brow. "So, you've learned a new word with the use of the letter 'A' and yet you can't even memorize a simple word like Ambidextrous?" He scoffed sardonically. "Really impressive, little girl… I envy you that's for sure."

Unable to retort back, Mikan stared after him in silence. "That rude and stuck-up jerk," she muttered to herself. "I bet nobody knows how to spell that word…"

Ignoring his shrewd comment, she decided to open up the first few pages of her book and started scanning over the bit of vocabulary from earlier. To hell with an arrogant model who doesn't have respect. It would do her some good to think about something else rather than an insensitive brute.

**.**

"To the set, to the set! Everyone to the set! Natsume Hyuuga will be dressed soon!"

Cameramen and other fellow co-workers were randomly running amuck throughout the studio. Some of them were carrying gigantic Halloween props, nearly bumping into one another as they passed each other by.

Hoping to concentrate amidst the noise, a certain brunette sat secluded to her seat, desperately trying to sound out each syllable of her sentence. "The r-rain in Spain… stays mainly in the─"

"Kenji! Go and get Natsume, we're just about done setting up over here!"

"Roger that!"

Mikan's brows knitted together in frustration. "The _raaain_ in Spain stays mainly… in the p-plain…"

_**Clash! **_

"Hey there, Naomi! Be more careful with that prop. We need that one!"

"The rain in Spain stays… Ah, crap! I hate this!" Mikan stomped her foot, folding both arms over her chest in defiance. There was just too much noise going on for her to focus. "It's so loud, annoying, and… I hate this crappy─"

"Seriously, you've got a lot of work to do when it comes to grammar…"

Suddenly being interrupted from her share of complaining, the brunette turned to the owner of that one monotone voice. She was more than surprised to find a… stunningly_ sexy_ raven haired-man dressed in the costume of what appeared to be a vampire. Her eyes widened in awe.

He was wearing a long, black-sleeve fishnet shirt that stuck tightly to his well-packed chest, displaying all of its muscular toned glory. To match his leather black pants, he wore a pair of black UGG® Gallatin boots, and a chain attached around one side of his ankle. His piercing crimson eyes seemed to 'pop' with a tantalizing glow, standing out with the help of a 'deathly' feel of black eye shadow. Just upon his back was a pair of black elastic leather bat wings to give off a better show.

As much as she hated the thought, Mikan knew that she would just be kidding herself if she didn't find him to be attractive. Caught off guard, she unconsciously found herself gasping in shock.

Natsume responded with a smug grin, showing off his fake fangs. "Take a picture while you're at it. It lasts a lot longer."

Coming back to realization, Mikan snorted and looked away. "Don't be stupid… You look ridiculous."

"Speaking of being stupid," Natsume taunted her, "how far did you get in memorizing those formal sentences?"

Mikan flinched in response. "T-two chapters ahead," she lied flatly.

"That right?" Unconvinced, Natsume snorted and snatched the book away from her hands. "Two chapters ahead when you're still on part B of chapter one?" He clicked his tongue, "That's some improvement…"

"Shows what you know!" Mikan snatched the book back from him. "Didn't you tell me not to speak or talk to you earlier? Go take your stupid pictures and leave me alone already."

Natsume frowned displeased at her harsh tone. Using his forefinger and thumb, he tilted her chin upwards to look at him fully. "You've got one hell of a mouth on you that's for sure. Guess that hot sauce back then didn't do anything for you." He smirked teasingly. "Maybe I should have Imai send me over a few bottles for 'in case' of emergencies."

"Natsume!" Kenji suddenly beckoned aloud to him. "Come on over here. You're needed at the set, pronto!"

"And there's my cue," the vampire sighed out. He turned back to the brunette. "Go ahead and keep yourself busy by wearing your brain out. As long as you don't make a scene, I couldn't care less of what you do."

Giving a haughty snort of breath, he gave a light flick to her forehead and turned to leave. Mikan glowered in detest, hating his overly high strung attitude. "You and your stupid bossy attitude!" she yelled out to him. "You're so not cute at all, do you know that!"

"Oh my gosh, look! Look, it's him! He's really here!"

Then right out of nowhere, a few sudden shrieks of overly crazed fan-girls engulfed the room. Great deals of them were wearing brightly colored shirts with the face of the famous idol plastered all over it. They even had flags of his face printed on the front, standing proud and tall as they waved them in the air.

"There he is right there! You see? I told you that he would be here!"

"_Kyaa! _You're right it's actually him, he's so gorgeous!"

As if the proof weren't obvious enough, the sexy heartthrob turned back to Mikan, a smug grin playing at his lips. "You sure about that?" he asked teasingly.

Mikan wanted so badly to tear that sly fox smile away from his face and stick it up his rear end. She pouted her cheeks, knowing all too well that her try for a comeback had become an epic fail. The raven haired demon was still in the leading run with one to nothing. Snorting under her breath, she gave up and returned her focus back to memorizing vocabulary.

**.**

**A few thirty minutes later…**

Natsume sat comfortably upon the prop of a tree stump. One leg was shifted upwards as he leaned on his right arm with his other free hand wrapped around the waist of his fellow model. His mouth was gently pressed to her neck, giving off the wicked impression of him beginning to take his first bite. With fake blood running at the side of his mouth, he bared his fangs, smirking seductively as he stared straight into the camera.

_**Click!**_

"Fantastic-Really great so far Mr. Hyuuga! Keep it up!" The cameras flickered brightly, capturing every bewitching moment of the appealing raven haired model. "That's good, hold it there! Oh, try and hold that pose for a sec."

Just afar off from the side of the room, a slightly annoyed Mikan couldn't care less. Even after thirty long minutes she still couldn't seem to gain focus, what with all the constant flashing of cameras and excessive blood shrieking shrills of excited fan-girls.

She kept her nose glued to the inside of her book, hoping to study over her formal sentences. "She teased tauntingly with a terrible t-treading… She teased… "

_**Click! **_

"That's it, right there! This Halloween catalog is going to turn out great!"

Mikan groaned aloud. "T-teased t-tauntingly with… a terrible treading…"

"Oh!" One overly ecstatic fan-girl shrieked out. "That model is so lucky to be held by our lovely Natsume-sama. Ah, I'm so jealous!"

"Right? He looks so hot dressed up as a vampire. My heart is about to stop dead. _Kyaa!_"

Mikan gritted her teeth together and decided that enough was enough. She had lost all patience. "Ah! I can't take it anymore!" With a stomp of her foot, she threw the book to the ground and pierced a hard given glare towards the many fan-girls. "Do you ever shut up? I can't think straight! You're all being way too loud over there. It's annoying the hell outta me!"

Hearing the sudden loud outburst, Natsume shifted his attention away from the camera, eyes widening at the scene. Only one person had a mouth big enough to cause such a ruckus.

He groaned tiredly, "Oh hell…"

Displeased by the share of complains, the group of fans shifted their way towards the one who had dared to disrespect them. One unhappy and busty looking blonde didn't appear to like the idea of being talked down to.

Appearing to be the alpha female of the group, she took a few steps forward and folded both arms crossly over her chest. "Just who the hell are you to go and shout at any of us like that, huh?" She studied Mikan's appearance and wrinkled her nose with a scoff. "A hand me down looking pair of blue jeans and an ugly pink top that's been outclassed since the '90s. Ha! How did a plain Jane like you get into our Natsume-sama's special photo shoot anyway?"

"I know, right?" a fellow fan-girl chimed in. "You even had the guts to talk down to our leader like that. Who do you think you are?"

The blonde-haired leader sneered, fanning her Natsume Hyuuga printed flag in the air. "It reeks of mediocrity around here. Our poor Natsume is soon to have a fit."

Mikan growled lowly. "Why you…"

She could practically feel a fuse blowing right then and there. In the blink of an eye, she reached out to swipe away the idol printed flag from the blonde, threw it harshly to the ground, and began thrashing over it with the few repetitive stomps of her foot.

The blonde could only stare back in shock. "Why you little…! How dare you!"

Ignoring her, Mikan picked up what was left of the 'flag,' and began balling it into her hands. "Here you go!" she snickered, throwing the small wad with a good whap in the blonde's face. "There's your 'precious' Natsume. Now, his face matches your ugly ones."

A dark aura of shock and malignant hate radiated throughout the air from the group of fan-girls. If anything, insulting their adoration and loving icon was definitely not the wisest of decisions.

"You!" the furious blonde cried out. "Y-you ugly and atrocious bitch, look what you've done! You'll pay for that!"

Mikan brushed off her hands as committing a job well done. "Well, now maybe even a stupid idiot like you will learn to shut the─"

She didn't get another say. Before she knew it, a furious looking vampire had already started dragging her by the arm. Natsume pulled her roughly to the side, his face seething with rage. His adoring fans could only watch in curiosity as they saw their beloved idol take the flustered brunette away.

The blonde-haired leader narrowed her eyes in disgust. "What the hell is that tramp doing with our Natsume-sama? She couldn't be another fan, could she?"

"Stop pulling, stop pulling!" Mikan cried aloud. She desperately tried to rid her arm from Natsume's painful grasp.

Finally, Natsume released her in which she nearly stumbled to the ground. His red eyes burned in anger. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" he whispered angrily.

Mikan pointed accusingly in the opposite direction. "Those crazy people were being too loud and I couldn't concentrate," she countered. "It was annoying. I mean they even called me names! I'm not gonna just sit there and─"

"Now you listen to me," Natsume's burly voice growled. "Those people over there happen to be my _fans_. And _fans_ come first before anything, even before my own damn career. I told you not to act out didn't I?" He neared his face closer to hers. "You better not make me look like a fool in front of everyone. Now, I'm going to return back to my photo shoot and I expect you to disappear for the time being. Go pick up your stupid book and busy yourself in studying your stupid vowels or something. I don't want you hanging around here until I'm finished. Understand?"

"Mr. Hyuuga! Please hurry sir, we're still shooting here!"

"Coming!" Natsume called back. He glared one last look of a warning to Mikan. "I'm serious… You better behave, little girl."

Seeing as he had gotten his point across, Natsume stormed off angrily, leaving an angry Mikan to glower in detest. Rude, ignorant, cold and always commanding… Those were the perfect titles fitted to 'His Majesty,' who only seemed to enjoy dictating her life. He didn't want her around? Fine. She didn't _need_ to hang around such a hot-headed jerk anyway.

She headed back over to her seat to retrieve her book and decided to storm off towards the door. Standing just beside the opening entrance, the handsome manager with red highlights was leaning against the side of wall grinning in amusement after witnessing the whole scene from afar.

"Having a bad day?" Kenji playfully teased.

Mikan ignored him with a grunt of breath. "Where's a good place to get some peace and quiet?" she asked irritated.

Kenji put a finger to his chin as if musing to himself. "Hm, let's see… I think I've got one," he exclaimed with a snap of his fingers. "There should be a place like that not too far off from here. It's just a few doors down the hall. I think maybe Floor B-15 is a good place. It should be the last door all the way down from this hall."

"Fine with me," Mikan muttered through gritted teeth. She busted the doors open cursing under her breath as she took her leave.

Natsume watched with great relief as the irritated brunette made her way out. "Ch, she'll probably be back anyway," he shrugged indifferently.

Deciding to return back to his work, he made a quick stop for a small apology. He made sure to take the time to give a proper greeting towards his supporters. The group of girls stared on in shock, overly stunned to witness the sexy model basking in their presence.

Natsume bowed respectfully. "I sincerely apologize on her behalf ladies," he said, flashing a boyish grin that made them sigh in awe. "That woman can be easily offended and had taken things a little too far back there. I'm terribly sorry."

"Oh," the blonde bombshell laughed it off, "p-please don't worry about it Natsume-sama. W-we're all just happy to be here to support you." A lot of side squeals came from the side of her fan-girl entourage.

Natsume gave one last bow, "Thank you."

"B-by the way, Natsume-sama" the blonde continued, "did that woman also happen to be a fan of yours by any chance? I-I mean, does she happen to be someone special...to you?"

"Special?" The hot model repeated sarcastically. He scoffed with an arch of his brow, "If it were up to me, I would get rid of her on the spot. Unfortunately for me, I can't do anything much about it right now."

"O-oh…"

"Once again, I apologize for this matter." Natsume made sure to flash another one of his signature grins and took off to return back to the set.

"He's so overly gorgeous," the lovesick blonde sighed to herself. Then next, her smile of admiration slowly dissolved into a malevolent scowl. She turned her attention to a pair of red-headed twins and called, "Aya! Ayu!"

Both of the twins answered in unison, "Y-yes Hana? W-we mean, yes ma'am!"

Hana snorted with a flip of her bangs. "That little girl back there didn't appear to show us proper respect for us or our dear Natsume for that matter." She smiled wickedly. "I think that we should go and show her a thing or two about how _we _show respect…"

**.**

"Finally!" Mikan exclaimed in relief.

After a long fifteen minutes of searching, she had finally reached her destination. The room of peace and quiet was hers at last. Everything was wide and spacious, but nothing really stood out in particular.

"Well," Mikan sighed with a shrug of her shoulders, "this isn't so bad. At least this place is a lot quieter than…"

Her words ceased. With her hazel eyes widening in horror, she stared on in surprise to find a deep and immeasurably vast pool right before her. She studied it carefully, taking notice of the fact that it had to be at least 75ft. deep.

An uneasy feeling started creeping up the back of her spine. Her hands started to tremble, shaking as if she were nervous. Gulping inwardly, Mikan took a few steps back. "I don't want to be around this place..."

_**Ccrreak!**_

Hearing the loud creak of the door opening, Mikan turned her head around to find a few familiar faces. Two red-heads and a despiteful looking blonde could be seen just at the door. They stood in an orderly fashion as they blocked the front entrance. All eyes were filled with a bitter hatred of detest. .

Hana's eyes narrowed at the brunette as she snorted, "Well, well… So Natsume-sama's little 'pest' was in here after all. I'm happy that we could find you." She turned to the other two in expectance.

Nodding their heads, Aya and Ayu turned to shut both of the doors to the entrance with a loud bang echoing aloud.

Mikan eyed each one of them carefully. "What are you all doing here?"

"I believe we should be asking _you_ that," Hana countered harshly. "It appears that you not only cause trouble for the faithful and adoring fans of Natsume-sama. But in actuality, you happen to be a hindrance for him as well."

"An unsightly horrible plain Jane," Aya and Ayu snickered together.

"Correct," the blonde agreed, "a real _pain_ in the ass for a simple 'plain Jane.' You're an eyesore." Her face glinted with a dark, evil aura. "You're plain, distasteful, and foolish. Someone like you doesn't deserve the honor of being around him… And I'll make sure that you know your place."

**.**

Fan-girls. Are. Scary. O.o


	11. Say My Name, Again

**Disclaimer: **No way Jose.

**.**

P.H.- "Say: Cup of tea."

E.D.- "Cup owf taye."

P.H.- "No, no! A. Cup. Of. Tea. Try it again."

**-Professor Henry Higgins, Eliza Doolittle. My Fair Lady (1964)**

**Chapter 11: Say My Name Again**

**.**

A few snickers echoed dissonantly about the room.

Feeling the share of amusement go to her head, the cocky blond beauty decided to add a little more humor.

"How often is it that you find an ugly duckling basking among the beauty of swans?" Hana sneered at the brunette's entire outlook. "What a cruel world… Not every girl can have a diamond hidden beneath their ugly shell, can she?"

The pair or red-headed snickering twins laughed. "She's a bit far off from an ugly duckling," they giggled in unison.

Just looking at the group of prissy-pranced idiots made Mikan wince in disgust. They reminded her all too well of a certain step-mother who wanted nothing to do with a "misguided delinquent" as she had so put it. Such a woman had been cruel enough in taking away everything that she had, including the share of having a father.

Mikan narrowed her eyes at the fake plastics, disgusted by their haughty laughs and uppity mannerisms. "…Artificial hags."

Hana arched a brow at her comment. "What did you just say?"

"A. R. T. I. F. I. C. I. A. L. Artificial," Mikan repeated. "It means to be cheap in appearance. To make it easier for you, it means that you're all a bunch of fake ugly witches." She placed both hands on her hips. "All of you play follow the leader, walking around like little fake plastic Barbie dolls and drooling all over a guy that you'll never have."

"How weird can you get?" one of the twins snarled out. "What does a nobody like you know, huh? The more you talk, the more it pisses me off!"

"Aya!" Hana commanded. "That's enough; we're not here to argue." She looked back over at Mikan, grinning mischievously. "We're only here to show this little…piece of _trash _a good deal of what it means to show respect, remember? Have patience, you'll get your chance at her soon enough."

Aya held her tongue, still looking a bit unsatisfied. "Fine…"

"Now then," Hana continued. "What would be a good way to take out the trash without getting our hands dirty?" She put a finger to her chin, as if in thought. "There has to be a good way to get rid of a piece of junk like you…"

"Oh yeah?" Mikan challenged. "Then why is it that a "piece of junk" like me just so happens to be living in the same home with your _beloved _Natsume-sama when you're just on the sidelines? I've even been in his own private suite once and also happen to know his cousin."

One of the twins gasped out in shock. "Y-you little scamp! You're lying…! Hana! Are you just going to let her get away in saying stupid stuff like that?"

"It's not a lie," Mikan defended. She grinned triumphantly. "Guess being a fan isn't everything huh? Even a girl like me can get that close to someone like him. Too bad for all of you though, right?"

"Ah, that's it!" Aya screamed in fury. She was getting sick of her smart mouth. "It amazes me of how desperate you are to make yourself sound so special! I can't take it anymore!" Without warning, she suddenly came flying straight towards the brunette, eyes burning like a mad woman. "I'll teach you not to go ruining Natsume-sama's good name, you LIAR!"

Her hands reached out for Mikan, as she pulled at her auburn strands in rage. Mikan was a bit taken aback, not expecting a sudden attack so soon. She dropped her book to the floor, welcoming the angry red-head to a cat fight. Pushing Aya just a good space away from her, Mikan caught her by the neck with one arm wrapped around her shoulder. They were locked hand in hand, each one fighting to see who had the greater force as they wrestled each other.

"Get her Aya, get her!" The other twin cheered from the sidelines. But it didn't seem to do her sister much good.

Being the feisty girl that she was, Mikan appeared to have the upper hand when it came to physical strength. Hana quickly took notice of this and decided to act fast. Seeing the purple book lie secluded to the floor, she made a quick move to try and distract the brunette. She took the book in her hands and chunked it straight into the pool.

_**Whoosh! **_

"There you go!"

Her plan worked, causing Mikan to shift her attention away from the red-head. Aya took the chance in grabbing a handful of Mikan's chestnut hair into her hands.

"Ah!" Mikan cried out in pain as she tried to wrangle free from Aya's grasp.

"Bet you don't have anything to say now, huh?" Hana taunted. "Trash like you should just disappear from Natsume-sama's sight!"

"Let go of me!" Mikan demanded. Fed up and damn well irritated, she turned her body to elbow the red-head in the nose.

"Ah, what the hell! My nose!" Aya released her hold on the brunette, covering her face in pain.

Without wasting another second, Mikan ran over towards the pool, but only to find herself stopping short just at the edge. She stopped dead in her tracks; her hazel eyes stared down at the deep end of the pool in fear.

"What's wrong?" Hana teased sarcastically. "If you just continue standing there, then your little book is going to stay soaking wet."

She was right. Mikan could only stare back in horror as she found her precious book bobbing up and down just at the far end. She tried to make a step forward into the water… No good. In the end, she couldn't gather the courage to do it.

Mikan mentally cursed to herself, feeling a shame of guilt eat her on the inside. "I-I can't do it…" However, her gathering thought for confidence was soon to be interrupted. Sneaking up just behind her, Hana made a move by pushing Mikan face forward into the pool.

"Ah!"

_**Splash! **_Mikan lost her footing, unable to prevent herself from falling.

Half surprised by her leader's rash actions, Aya came running up next to the side of the pool. "H-Hana!" she stuttered in shock. "Did you mean to go that far?"

Hana simply sneered. "Don't bother worrying about her. She deserved it! Besides, it's not like she can't swim…"

For a good while, the surface of the pool appeared to move, bubbling all around just at the top. Then suddenly…it stopped. Everything became quiet still like the placid waves after the crashing of a storm. Not a single hint of movement or a hint of sound.

Aya's eyes grew wide with worry. "Hana… She's not coming up…"

Just at the bottom of the pool, Mikan was desperately trying to fight her way back up to the surface. She thrashed her arms around, kicking her legs about in the water. Her heart beat fast, fearing the moment of de ja vu from past bitter memories. Anxious and frightened all in one, she used the last bit of breath to mouth out the only one name that she could think of.

"Natsume…!"

**.**

"Cut! That's good, we got it all in!"

The raven haired vampire sighed in relief. "About time," he breathed out tiredly.

Ruffling his hair, he made his way over to a table of delectable entrées, picking out a freshly baked croissant. He released another heavy sigh, savoring the warm strawberry filling that dissolved in his mouth.

"Um, N-Natsume?"

The raven haired heartthrob shifted his uncaring attention over to a beautiful young woman. "Oh, Sakura," he said while finishing another bite of his croissant. "I didn't see you standing there. Did you need something?"

She did her best to fight back a blush as she tried to speak. "I-I just wanted to t-tell you that…um…I had a lot of fun working with you for the photo shoot!"

"Oh yeah?" Natsume asked while leaning against the wall. "Well, thank you for the comment. Working with a beautiful girl like you is always fun. Things always seem to go by faster whenever you work alongside talented and beautiful people."

Sakura's blush deepened even more. "Y-yeah? You really think I'm pretty?"

Natsume grinned playfully, baring his vampire-like fangs, "Most definitely."

The woman could swear that she felt her heart melt, nearly dropping right inside of her. She smiled in return, clearly obsessed over the raven haired model's endearing compliment. "Thank you!" Sakura said excitedly. Completely overcome with joy, she skipped off, giggling to herself in excitement.

Natsume took the time to study her curves as the young beauty took her leave. "Hn, not too bad," he said to himself. "I probably should've asked for her number..."

_**Vroom! Vroom! **_

Hearing the vibration of his ring tone go off, Natsume bent down to pick up his bag, pulling out his red I-Phone in the process.

_Click! _"Yeah, it's me."

A light chuckle came from the other end of the line. "Well, who else would I expect to answer other than the one and only Natsume Hyuuga?"

"Ruka," Natsume said nonchalantly. "You sure like to call around at the busiest of times."

"Are you still shooting?"

"No."

"Okay then," Ruka countered. "So, you're not busy at all? Then quit complaining already. You can be a real drama queen when you want to be."

"…What did you call me for anyway?"

Ruka laughed again. "Nothing of importance really. I was just hoping to meet up with you, oh say… tomorrow afternoon? Got anything planned around that time?"

Natsume paused for a brief moment. "Not that I know of… Sure, we can meet up I guess. What was it that you wanted to talk about?"

"Oh, nothing in particular," Ruka simply answered. "There were just a few things that I wanted to talk over with you…more or less, concerning things about our favorite little brunette."

Hearing the truth finally come out, Natsume rolled his eyes. He knew it… There was a small catch in all of this after all. "That's it?" he asked, disinterested. "A busy and popular chef like you just called in for something like that?"

"I'm not always _that_ busy," Ruka defended. "Anyway, we'll both meet up at Yuu's bakery to discuss things. It should be fun, right?"

"Hn…"

"By the way," Ruka continued, "since we're already on the subject… Where is Miss Sakura anyway?"

Natsume sighed with a shrug of his shoulders. "Who knows? She should be hanging around here someplace."

Ruka paused in silence for a brief moment. "Natsume… Is Miss Sakura doing okay? She _**is**_ with you, isn't she?"

"Yeah, she's with me…here at the studio anyway."

Ruka sighed on the other line. "I hope that you're taking the time in being patient with her. Don't go try bullying her too much, Natsume."

"Excuse me?" the raven haired model said while shifting away from the wall. "Who was it that had left the street rat in _**my**_ care in the first place? I'll be the one to decide how she's looked after and where she goes. That became my responsibility, remember?"

"Even so," Ruka chuckled, "you should try to treat her a little better if you can help it, Natsume. This is pretty much a learning experience for the both of you. She has to mature slowly and develop."

Natsume snorted, "Right… If that's all you have to say then I'd like to go ahead and hang up now. Since my photo shoot is over, I plan to head on back home."

Ruka chuckled again. "Alright, alright, I'll go ahead and let you go. But don't forget Natsume… Tomorrow. Meet up in the afternoon at─"

"Afternoon at Tobita's bakery," Natsume finished for him. "Yeah, yeah. I got it. Are we done?"

Another sigh came from Ruka's end of the line. "Yeah…We're done."

"Good." _Click! _

Shoving his phone back into his bag, Natsume released another exasperated sigh. He hated how his best friend could make him feel like he was always in the wrong. It always seemed as if he got to play the role as the blonde-haired prince, while he took the share in baring his teeth as the Big Bad Wolf.

"Tch. Always having to play the role as the bad guy…" He looked around the room, taking notice of the almost _too quiet _environment. It made him feel uneasy. "She should still be around here someplace..."

He walked over towards the back area and was surprised to find an empty stool where the brunette had been sitting. Of course, he had instructed the loud-mouthed woman to disappear for the time being. Even so, hearing no sign of her constant complaining was a bit too strange. Surely, she would have come storming in any moment now, probably swearing or yelling to him about something.

"Hey, hey, hey! There's my popular client!" Kenji appeared from behind, giving a light pat of good work well-done upon his back. "Great job today, Natsume! With this awesome photo shoot coming up in the next catalog, your bachelor status is _sure_ to skyrocket! Eh…Not that you don't already have all the ladies swooning over you these days."

Natsume turned to his manager. "Kenji. Not that it's important, but have you seen the…I mean… Have you seen my cousin anywhere?"

"You mean the cute girl? Hm… Oh!" Kenji's eyes shone in recognition. "Yeah, I just saw her not too long ago. Last time I checked, she was making her way over to the pool area in 15-B."

"A pool area?" Natsume asked him.

Kenji nodded, "Yeah, that's right. She wanted a quiet place to study so I helped her out. Come on, I'll take you there." He gestured his head towards the door.

Natsume nodded in agreement and followed him to the other part of the hallway of the B-wing. Hoping to stir up a bit of conversation, the always enthusiastic manager decided to tease his client.

"So then, Natsume," Kenji said while walking. "When are you going to give me the okay in hooking up with that cute cousin of yours?"

"Back off weirdo," Natsume scoffed. "She's way too feisty for a creepy Lech like you, and besides, you're way too old."

"Ouch! Harsh, much?" the manager laughed in return. "Well, the feisty ones are always the most fun. I bet that I could─"

_**Bam!**_

Hearing the loud banging of the door the two men stopped short, turning their attention to find three frantic looking women bursting out of room 15-B.

"Hana!" Aya cried out. "You can't just leave her there, she'll drown!"

"Quiet, you!" Hana snarled. "Everything will be fine as long as you don't go opening your big fat─"

"What's going on over here?" Kenji appeared before them with Natsume trailing just behind.

All three of them turned their gazes to find two young men staring at them in curiosity. Aya and Ayu inwardly gulped, doing their best to hide their antsy expressions.

"N-Natsume-sama!" Hana gasped out.

Natsume ignored her, staring straight at the door. "Kenji. This is 15-B, isn't it?"

"That's right," Kenji answered. "Your cousin should be right in there. That's something I remember at least, but…" He looked at the nervous group of fan-girls. "What were the three of you doing in there? I don't ever remember telling you all about the pool area."

Hana looked off to the side, hoping to avoid as much eye contact as possible. Natsume quickly took notice of the odd feeling, giving a quizzical stare at the blonde in return. "We were, um…well…"

"Did you happen to see a brunette inside of there?" Natsume asked her.

Hana flinched, fiddling with a lock of her blonde strands. She refused to look at the raven haired model, unsure as how to respond. "That is…Not really…"

Sensing the awkward silence, Natsume scowled. "…Move."

He pushed her out of the way, making his own entrance for the door. His eyes scanned over the room and then studied the top of the pool. A share of adrenaline started pumping throughout his chest, trickling all the way down to the end of his legs.

"What the…?" His gaze locked onto a purple book floating just above the surface.

It was clear that something had gone wrong. What made the feeling even worse, was the fact that there was no sight of the brunette anywhere. Putting two and two together, he began to panic; his legs began moving of their own free will. Before he knew it, he was no longer thinking straight.

_**Splash! **_Natsume immediately dived into the pool, ignoring the stinging pain to his eyes.

His mind focused on nothing but finding a certain brunette, refusing to cease from swimming. A vast amount of bubbles continued to obscure his vision as he made his way down further into the pool. Then suddenly…his crimson eyes locked onto his target, witnessing a drowning Mikan up just ahead.

_Damn…! _he thought to himself.

Her legs and arms floated underneath the water; her head titled backwards with her mouth held wide open. Fearing the worst, Natsume wasted no time in getting to her, swimming as fast as he could.

His calloused hands tightly gripped a hold to her waist as he held her closely to his chest. He mentally cursed to himself, finding it difficult to swim due to the excessive force of gravity coming from his costume. Gathering the last ounce of willpower that he could muster, Natsume managed to shift the brunette up to the surface. Following just behind, he popped his head up out from the top, desperately grasping for air.

Kenji ran to meet him at the edge. "Here, take it!"

Holding out his hand, Kenji managed to help the soaking model out of the pool. Keeping Mikan closely held to his side, Natsume gently set her on the ground. He scanned over her face as he cupped the side of her cheeks.

"Mikan!" He lightly patted her face, hoping to get a response. "Hey, Mikan! Wake up! Hey!" No good. Not a single response. Next, he attempted the next method by continuously pumping her stomach. "Come on, come on!"

His chest was stirring with an amass mix of emotions; anxiety, fear, anger all melding into one. The adrenaline started to rush to his head, making him anxious. Seeing as the pumping wasn't helping, Natsume decided on the next move.

He covered her mouth with his own, desperately blowing air into her half closed lips. This last resort was the only hopeful option. "Mikan!"

Still no good. Her eyes remained closed without any hint of movement. Natsume gritted his teeth in frustration.

"Damn!" He pounded his fist angrily to the ground. "Why isn't she…? Damn!"

Trying to hold back his fury, he covered his face in distraught. Kenji stared back at him in silence, overly stunned to see his usually lax and reserved client behaving in such a way. It was definitely a first…

Before he could respond, his eyes shifted over to the woman, whose lips appeared to be…slightly quivering? His eyes widened then settled, finally grasping the idea as he snorted to himself. "Don't go bringing me up tears just yet, Natsume." Kenji bent down to give a light pop to Mikan's mouth. "Hey, you… Wake up already. You're still alive, right?"

"What?" Natsume raised his head, eyes widening in surprise.

After a few silent moments of remaining lifelessly still, the brunette slowly arose to a sitting position. "Ah- *cough!*" She gathered a few breaths, choking in the much needed air.

Seeing the woman literally just come back from the dead felt like a miracle for the still shocked raven haired model. His crimson pupils widened in shock. So much satisfaction of relief and an oddly unfamiliar happiness started to eat at his chest.

"You see there?" Kenji laughed teasingly. "This big faker was just fine the whole time. She was just a little surprised to get a big wet kiss from her own sexy cousin. Isn't that right, sweetheart?"

Fighting back a deep blush, Mikan winced while turning to look away. She touched the tip of her lips, a bit flustered at having her first in-direct kiss.

Natsume closed his eyes, exasperating a much needed sigh of relief. He found the will to restrain his heart from continually speeding out of control. After gathering himself together, he abruptly stood up and made his way over to his deranged group of fan-girls.

They all stared back at him in fear completely overcome by his malicious and cold glare. He neared in even closer, causing them to slowly retreat backwards as they came in contact with the back wall.

Aya and Ayu cowardly hid behind their blonde-haired leader, pushing her to the front line. She said nothing as she witnessed her now evidently pissed off raven haired idol come storming off straight towards them. Natsume stopped short just in front of her with a murderous intent etched on his face.

He narrowed his eyes in disgust. "Did you do that to her?"

"I-I wasn't trying to…" The poor blonde didn't even get a chance to finish.

_**Thump! **_Natsume pounded the side of the wall, causing them all to flinch back in fear.

"Women like you are the worst kind on this planet," he spoke in a viciously low tone. "When it comes to jealousy, you stop at nothing to get your way. All of you can scratch and bite at each other for all I care, that's your problem. But don't you ever think about hurting that girl again… Try another stupid thing like that, and I'll make you regret it. Anyone who is so foolish enough to stoop so low is certainly no fan of mine. People like you make me sick!"

A big slap in the face was practically given to each of the astounded women. They didn't even dare to respond. Their beloved idol had bared his fangs, snarling at each of them with his malevolent and spiteful glare that would forever haunt them.

Seeing as how he had gotten his point across, Natsume snorted and retreated back over to the edge of the pool. He bent down to pick up the overly soaked purple book whose pages were drenching wet from the watery aftermath.

He heaved out a heavy sigh. "I'll be taking this back with me. Kenji. Have her taken to get cleaned up along with a pair of dry clothes." He fixed his gaze upon Mikan. "Once that's done, I'll come get you and we'll head on back home. It's gotten pretty late due to the long photo shoot, especially after all of this happened. We both need the rest."

Mikan nodded in response, keeping her silence as she touched her lips again. Her mind traced back to the sudden flashback of his mouth touching hers, as well as the obscure thought of him calling out her name.

_Did I hear that right, or am I just kidding myself? He said it… didn't he?_

**.**

Once the small catastrophic event had been settled, Natsume couldn't be more relieved than to head back home. He entered into his humble abode, finding a comfortable position on the couch.

"Damn," he sighed out. "No matter how many times I try to deny it, you always seem to prove me wrong when it comes to bringing a mess of trouble." Mikan stared back at him in silence as he began to rub his temples."Damn it all… Woman, you are one never ending circus of bad luck. It gives me a headache, I swear."

"I-it wasn't my fault completely," Mikan defended and frowned. "Besides, I'm the one who almost drowned, not you."

Natsume raised his head to look at her. "Yet, still, you've got a lot of nerve to talk back to your savior of the day. Ch. Ungrateful woman…"

"I'm not ungrateful at all," Mikan pouted. "And I told you to stop calling me that already." She came to walk over to the couch, crouching just enough so that she was looking directly at him. "You're always so mean to me…always so cold and ignorant. When are you going to learn my name, huh?"

The man kept silent, leaning over on the side of his elbow. He kept a stoic expression on his face as he listened to her complain.

"I already get enough by living here and having to put up with your stupid attitude. Just when will you learn to just suck it up already and call me by my─"

"Mikan…"

Hold on a minute… Wait. Did she hear that right?

Completely caught off guard by the call of her name, the woman blinked twice, staring back at him in confusion. "W-what did you just…?"

Then suddenly, she found her body being shifted forward. Without warning, Natsume had cuffed a hold to her wrists, tightening his grip as he pulled her closer to his face.

"Mikan."

Her eyes widened, enabling her ears to hear the name more clearly. Surely, she had heard him say her name just a while ago, but…back then, she hadn't been so sure.

"Mikan…"

There he goes again… The sound of her name stemming off from his husky voice nearly put a stop to her heart. Before she knew it, she had finally realized that her face was just a few inches away from his. His brilliant shade of crimson red eyes penetrated her honey-brown orbs.

She held her breath in, hypnotized by his piercing gaze. "W-what are you…?"

Natsume said nothing as he kept his eyes glued to her own. It was almost like he was commanding her not to look away. He let his hand slowly reach out to cup the side of her face, his thumb lightly brushing over her cheek. Mikan kept still as he slowly started to near his face towards her own. She could feel his hot breath brushing against her neck, sending small shivers down her spine.

Unsure of what he was doing, Natsume used his hand to tuck a few auburn strands behind her ear. He kept his piercing gaze locked onto her hazel eyes. A strange and unfamiliar feeling started to take over him little by little.

Something… There was definitely _something_ to this woman that always irritated him, and yet, always seemed to interest him at the same time.

The almost tragic event from earlier had nearly put a stop to his heart. Even though he didn't show it, in actuality…he had been truly frightened.

His eyes roamed over her soft lips, following the brush of his thumb. "Mikan," he repeated softly.

That same unfamiliar feeling began to engulf him. The more he stared at her attractively soft lips, the more it only seemed to turn him on. Before he knew it, he was leaning in even closer. It was almost as if he wanted to…

"Natsume?" Mikan whispered out softly.

Hearing the call of his name, Natsume came back to realization. He stared at the blushing brunette for a few split seconds before finally releasing his hold to her.

"Hn…" Slowly rising up from off of the couch, Natsume grunted, pretending to brush off the awkward moment. "I'm going to go to bed."

Mikan remained sitting, still caught in a trance from his earlier actions. She blushed a little as she held her silence. The raven haired man turned to her before heading upstairs.

"It's been a long night… You should try to get some sleep as well."

"W-wait…" Mikan muttered meekly while slowly standing up. She made her way over to the stairwell.

Natsume stared at her, hiding his curiosity as she came to stand in front of him. "…What is it now?"

"…Say it again."

Again? Natsume looked at her like she was crazy. What did she mean by that? His brows creased together. "What are you talking about?" he asked, irritated.

Mikan ignored his harsh tone. "Say it again, Natsume. Say my name."

Natsume studied her face for a moment. "…Why?"

"Because I want you to… Now, say my name already."

Geez, this woman could be the most annoying pest on the planet when she wanted to be. Natsume groaned tiredly, feeling the breaking point of consent giving in. "Mikan…"

"What?"

"What, are you deaf?" Natsume growled out. "Mikan. Mikan Sakura… There now, are you satisfied?"

An overwhelming feeling of joy started to burst throughout the woman's chest. She felt a vast amount of happiness engulf her all around at the mention of her name. At that moment, she decided to give in to the thought of hugging the raven haired model, squeezing him tightly to match her satisfaction of joy.

"H-hey!" Natsume stumbled backwards, overly stunned to find the brunette glued to his chest.

"You finally said it!" Mikan said excitedly. She raised her head to bask a warm smile. "Thank you, Natsume!"

It was as if a ray of sunshine had shone upon her face. Natsume could feel his heart beat fast, speeding out of its own free will. He kept his face heavily guarded, unsure as how to act. Shifting his gaze away, he casually answered, "Hn. I don't see what the big deal is… It's just a stupid name."

"Say it again," Mikan pleaded as she followed him upstairs.

"I'm tired and want to go to bed," was Natsume's only response.

"Come on, come on, come on! Say my name again. Here, I'll say yours first... Natsume. See?"

"Go to bed, Mikan."

She gasped, "Look! You said it after all, I knew it! Say it again."

"I said go to bed already!"

**.**

NxM moments all the way!


	12. Fatherly Compensation

**Disclaimer: **Go team: I don't own anything but this story, so enjoy!

**.**

A.D.- "A man was made to help support his children;

which is the right and proper thing to do.

A man was made to help support his children.

But with a little bit of luck, with a little bit of luck,

they'll go out and start supporting you!"

**-Alfred Doolittle. My Fair Lady (1964)**

**Chapter 12: Fatherly Compensation**

**.**

"This really hits the spot!"

A handsome blonde finished adding the buttery touch to his piece of toast. He bit into the golden brown crust, savoring every moment of the warm sensation.

"Mmm ─ really good! Aren't you going to eat yours too, Natsume?"

Sitting across the other end of the table, looking just as bored as ever, sat a handsome raven haired model. He cupped the side of his face, propping one elbow upon the edge of the table as his black tinted Romani sunglasses glinted in the light. "You're too easily satisfied, Ruka," his voice droned.

Ruka simply shrugged, taking another bite out of his breakfast. "There's nothing better than a piece of golden brown toast fresh out from Yuu's bakery."

Natsume looked off to the side muttering a small "Hn," under his breath. Both young men were seated just outside of Tobita le' Gateau upon this Friday afternoon. A clear blue sky came with a bright sunny view as the cool air blew ever so smoothly.

The satisfied blonde breathed in the welcoming fresh air, smiling to himself in content. "It's always good to come relax on days like these."

"Here you are sir." A young waitress came to set down a tall cup of coffee upon the table. "Please enjoy!"

Ruka smiled happily. "Thank you!"

The waitress nodded in return, shooting a flirty smile towards Natsume before taking her leave. Ruka blew a few light breaths to cool down his coffee. "I take it that things are going well with Miss Sakura?" he asked while looking at his best friend.

Natsume didn't seem to pay him any mind. His gaze followed the retreating curves of their cute waitress. Whistling under his breath, he slowly turned his head back to Ruka and asked, "Who?"

The blonde wilted in his seat, shaking his head to himself. "Sometimes, I really worry about you and that playboy attitude of yours… I was talking about Miss Sakura? Her progress so far?"

"Oh, right," Natsume breathed out and started fiddling his thumb with his fork. "She's doing well so far, I guess. Although, I can't say that she still hasn't been giving me any trouble." His brows creased into a small frown as he recalled the stirring event regarding a brunette who nearly drowned to death. "Always getting herself into difficult situations… That girl takes up all the energy out of me, that's for sure."

"Your six months will be shooting by before you know it, Natsume," Ruka reminded him. "It's already the start of October. You better not try risking the shot by beating around the bush too much." He grinned teasingly. "Keep it up, and the bet is bound to be my win for sure."

"You wish," Natsume grinned back. "For your information, she's already in the progress of learning formal sentences as well as other structures of grammar. She can be stubborn, but she'll get the job done when needed."

"That so?" Ruka pretended to sound surprised. "Well, that's to be expected when you seek out the intelligence of your charming cousin. You get the easy route for a road."

"Which almost became damn nearly impossible because of your big mouth," Natsume said sourly, letting his eyes peel over his sunglasses. "My plans didn't go as smoothly as I had wanted them to. You always like to nose your way into everything..."

Holding back a laugh, Ruka took another sip of his coffee. "Hey, this is a bet man. It's not much of a challenge if you go asking for help, now is it?"

"That's where you're wrong," Natsume emphasized with a shake of his index finger. "Technically, she's not helping me, but more of 'assisting' me in my little game. Entering the Ice Queen's domain isn't something that I do often. Still, she's been useful by making things a lot easier. Mikan is learning left and right, much more tamed than what she was."

Ruka smiled to himself, knowing that his friend had no idea of what he had just said. "Mikan?" he asked.

"Huh?"

"Referring to the name that just slipped from your mouth," Ruka laughed again. "So, you started calling Miss Sakura by her actual name these days? What, no more street rat or filthy wench?"

The model stiffened in his seat and paused. "…So?"

"Well, that's good," Ruka chuckled out. "This is getting pretty amusing. It's only been a good few weeks and I can already tell that your attitude is beginning to change. The simple dream of my bet on you becoming the heart falling prey to the predator of love is soon to be a reality. Not too bad, Mr. Casanova."

Natsume snorted at the thought. "Enough with the big talk, Ruka. Didn't you say that you had something you wanted to discuss with me?"

"That's right," Ruka said while taking another sip from his coffee. "It's a small matter concerning Miss Sakura."

"Naturally…"

"I'm interested in seeing how well she's progressed so far. So, I was thinking…"

Natsume arched a brow. "You were thinking?"

A small grin played at Ruka's lips. "I was thinking of testing her out at our next social gathering at Club Alice."

Hearing his best friend's plan finally come out caused the raven haired model to shift in his chair. "Club Alice?" he asked incredulously. Have Mikan tested out at the most prestigious clubs in all of the country? That was like asking for the impossible! "Ruka, you're kidding right? That club of ours is mainly for the elite! They'll have her sniffed out by the second that she steps foot inside."

"You can't say that for sure. After all, the next meeting won't be until another few weeks or so. You've got plenty of time." Ruka folded his hands under his chin and grinned. "Besides, I'm just now getting to the best part."

Oh. Hell. Those were the two exact words that crossed Natsume's mind. Damn Ruka's stupid decision making and his damn stupid ideas for 'fun.'

"What, there's more?" he asked, clearly not surprised.

"Sure there is," Ruka nodded. "If I'm correct…you've got a major celebration coming up in honor of your inauguration as the new heir, right?"

"That's right," Natsume answered tiredly. "A celebration ball coming up in just a few months as a matter of fact. It'll be a nonstop celebration for dancing, mindless conversations with fellow CEO's and _hopefully_ some servers carrying trays of Majestic Liquor."

"Exactly. Just about the appointed six months' time for the end of our bet."

Natsume listened in closely. "…What are you getting at?"

"When that time comes," Ruka continued, "we'll give Miss Sakura our final test at the celebration and decide right then and there if she was able to successfully transform into a modest young woman. That will also be the day that we come to a conclusion for our bet in who comes out the true victor."

The raven haired bachelor stifled back a laugh. He knew his friend all too well. "You sure like to make things a lot harder than what they are. That's so just like you…"

Ruka shrugged, "There's nothing wrong in wanting to liven up things a bit for some good entertainment. I'm having a good time watching you and Miss Sakura together. It makes things more interesting in my life."

"Right," Natsume snorted while rolling his eyes. "So, around the time of early March, the bet will have come to an end, huh?" He tilted his shades before smirking fully. "Best get ready to kiss your career as a chef goodbye. Not to mention your dignity once Imai witnesses you making a complete full of yourself on live. National. Television."

"Hey! That should be my line…"

"Speaking of which…" Natsume rested back in his chair, folding both hands behind his back as he propped a foot upon the table. "It'll be about time to go pick up Mikan from the Ice Queen in about another hour."

Reaching for his coffee cup, the blonde haired chef arched a brow. "So, Miss Sakura is being taught by Hotaru again today?"

"That's right," the young heir nodded while holding back a yawn. "By the way, did we ever mention to you that she happens to be a resident of Como?"

Ruka ceased from taking another sip from his coffee. His blue pupils widened as he looked up at his best friend. "Y-you're kidding… Miss Sakura's background comes from the Como District?"

Natsume nodded, "Straight right out from the gutter."

"Amazing..." the blonde mused to himself. He put a thumb to his chin, his gaze drifting off to the side as if deep in thought. "To think that she came from such an unruly place… I wonder what life was like for her there."

* * *

><p><strong>In the Eastern Quarters of Como District…<strong>

_**Clash! **_

The breaking of beer bottles could be heard as they crashed to the ground.

"And stay out!"

_**Whoosh! **_

Two middle-aged men were roughly thrown out of an old uncannily run-down bar, stumbling upon a dirty concrete floor. Laughs could be heard from inside, amused drunks laughing mockingly as they pointed at the two fools. A tall, round-shaped man with his stomach bulging over his waist scoffed as he brushed off his hands.

The manager spat to the ground, symbolizing what little respect he had for them. "Humph! Don't ever come back around here until you have money on you!"

_**Bam! **_The door slammed shut.

One of the men sighed beside himself, sitting upright while he took the time to straighten out his vest. "Ah, you just had to go and do it again, Izumi…" He ruffled his coal black hair, tilting his glasses with another sigh.

His companion grunted, brushing the dirt from his trousers as he stood up. "Nah, the hell with that ol' fool!" he swayed his hand in the air as if swatting away a fly. "If he don't want good business, then he ain't getting good business. Ho! ─ No sir, no way, not my money! Ain't that right, Jin-Jin?"

The other man simply glared back at his friend. "What money do you mean eh, Izumi? You said that you would be the one to pay for drinks this time."

Izumi blinked back twice while scratching at his dirty-blonde hair. "Did I say that?"

"Yes…you did."

"Well, shoot!" Izumi laughed with a snap of his fingers. "Haha, my apologies Jin-Jin. I must've forgotten to ask my sweet ol' wife for an extra few bucks or so."

His companion groaned in response. "How many times are you going to call me by that old nickname? My name is Jinno. _Jinno__._"

The blonde simply nodded. "Sure, sure, Jin-Jin," he said while pulling out a cigarette from his pocket. "Say now, Jin-Jin, do you have a lighter on ya by any chance?"

Jinno rolled his eyes, consenting to his friend's request. "You should really learn to quit smoking all the time," he said while flipping his lighter.

"All in good time," Izumi laughed. He exhaled a good amount of smoke before deciding to walk off. "Let's try and find another joint that might be a little, eh…low on prices."

"You mean one that will be easy to make a quick hit-and-run, don't you?"

"There ya go, Jin-Jin! Always coming up with the best ideas; you and that great clever mind of yours. We'll go with that one!"

Both men made their way down the path of a dirty-filled road decorated with broken glass and other discarded pieces of filth. Como District wasn't one of the most attracting of places. People were always on the streets, selling what little goods that they had; hoping to get by in making a living with what they could manage. The town had a certain depressing air that always shrouded over the streets.

_Mmmeeow_!

Just on the other side, a black cat came flying straight out from a two-story window.

A plumpish looking woman came running angrily out her front door, swinging an old wilted broom around the air. She cursed under her breath, appearing to be upset as she yelled belligerently at a now disturbed drunken man. "George, I thought I told ya to keep that bloody cat off from my property! Keep it up and I'll be having cat stew for supper!"

Watching from the sidelines, Jinno squinted his eyes in disgust. What an awfully disturbing sight… "We really need to get away from this place," he sighed out.

Izumi cocked his head to the side, taking another swig from his cigarette. "Tired already from the life of poverty, eh, Jin-Jin?"

"I'm more than tired of it, Izumi," Jinno scoffed in disdain. "I'm damn well sick of it! This place is much too depressing. Our lives would be a lot more different if we were to get away."

"Ha! Easier said than done," the blond-haired man exhaled another swig. "That's just your wishful thinking speaking out for ya, Jin-Jin."

"Oh yeah?" Jinno challenged his remark with a tilt of his glasses. "Izumi, it's hard to hear you say that, seeing as how you're the one holding a golden ticket with a one way out. How lucky you are…"

The disinterested blonde stared back at his friend in and asked, "What are you trying to get at, eh?"

Stopping in his tracks, Jinno sighed again, glaring at the idiot as if the answer were solely obvious. He narrowed his eyes. "How long has it been since you've last heard from your daughter?" he asked.

Izumi scratched at his head as he trailed though his thoughts. "You mean Misaki, right? Hm…" He exhaled another breath of smoke. "Hn, not too sure. It's been a good while since I talked to her last, now that she's been on her own and all. I got a letter in the mail from her a little while back." He snickered to himself. "Turns out that she's been doing pretty good for herself too; making a fine living by getting those big bucks in the business area. Ha! All that money and she won't even lend her ol' man a finger. None. Some daughter, eh?"

"For goodness sake, man!" Jinno sighed as he shook his head. How stupid could this man be? "I'm talking about the _other _daughter of yours… The one that used to run around here like a wild cat all the time?"

"Other daughter?" Izumi cocked his head, raising both brows. After a few seconds his eyes widened in recognition. "Oh!" he exclaimed with a snap of his fingers. "You mean the younger one of the two, right? What was her name again…? Ah wait, don't tell me, eh… Millie? Mickey? No, no, that wasn't it, uh… Michelle?"

Staring back at the sight of pure idiocy, Jinno groaned in exasperation. "Do you mean, _Mikan?_"

"Oh, yeah! Mikan ─ yeah, that's it!" Izumi chuckled to himself. "Well, you're fresh outta luck there, Jin-Jin. It's been a good two years since I've last heard from that one. That feisty little kitten took out on me a long time ago."

Jinno titled his glasses with a roll of his eyes. "Correction…more like you kicked her out."

"No, no," Izumi emphasized with a small shake of his cigarette. "I wasn't the one to make her leave. Little Mickey decided to take off by her own free will."

"Mikan," Jinno reminded him.

"Yeah, that's what I just said. She wanted to leave on her own, the door was wide open, and so I let her go. Shoot! Kids these days just don't appreciate the life they've got, making a big deal outta nothing by always complaining. So off she went − shoop! Right out the door."

It was amazing in how much this man could sound like a selfish idiot. Jinno shook his head, disappointed by what he was hearing. "Don't you even know where she's been?"

"Nope," Izumi answered flatly. "Don't know anything of the sort."

His friend sneered in disgust. "You don't know? Her only father and you don't even know her whereabouts? How sad…"

"Well, Jin-Jin get on with the story then. Enlighten me if you will."

"For your information," Jinno began, "word got around that your little 'kitten' has been receiving private lessons from the establishment of Imai."

Suddenly finding interest for the subject, Izumi turned to look at him in bemusement. "Imai, you say? Do you mean that overly sized mansion located in the insanely wealthy parts of town?"

"That's the one," Jinno nodded. "A lot of talk has been going on about her taking up special treatment since the beginning half of last month. But, that's not all…"

"You mean there's more?"

"Oh, there's more alright," Jinno chuckled. "There's talk that she's been shacking up as a resident with one of the most wealthiest and eligible bachelors in the country. Are you familiar with the name, Natsume Hyuuga?"

The blonde-haired man simply shrugged. "Never heard of him. Why?"

"Well, it turns out that he's quite fond of your daughter, Izumi. So fond of her in fact, that the two supposed lovebirds are already planning on getting married. The _wealthiest_man in the country is planning on marrying _your _daughter!"

Hearing the jaw-dropping news caused Izumi to nearly choke on his cigarette. "Wha- *cough! cough!* what the… Ya don't say!" he exclaimed in shock.

Jinno folded his arms, nodding with a smug grin. "That's the rumor these days. Your daughter has reeled in a big one. Who knew, right?"

"Ya don't say!" Izumi repeated, still taken aback. "W-why… If my little Mickey has gone and found herself a husband…a very _rich_ husband, then that means…"

His raven haired companion chuckled lightly. "Then that means you'll supposedly become a very _rich_ father, am I correct?"

"Well, shoot! It's only fair," Izumi laughed excitedly. "Ain't that something…? Little Mickey went out and hit the jackpot for her ol' man!" He took one last swig from his cigarette before putting it out. His eyes sparkled by the joyful good news. "Well, I can't be wasting my time hanging around this dump. So, you say she's usually been seen hanging out at the Imai estate, eh Jin-Jin?"

"From what I was told, she's normally spotted there often."

Izumi gave a quick nod, snapping his fingers as he made a pivot-turn to change his path for direction. "Then it's off to the Imai estate I go. That area shouldn't be too long from here. Well, then I'll take my leave from here Jin-Jin!"

He chuckled to himself, skipping about the ground while singing a bouncy tune.

"Lucky. Lucky. Lucky-Me. Lucky, luckily as lucky can be!"

**.**

She nodded fully, her violet irises glinting in satisfaction. Her reaction to hearing such distinct fine vowels disguised in the forms of sentences appeared to make her feel quite pleased.

"Not too bad Mikan," Hotaru recognized. "You've improved in these past few weeks. Now, I want to hear you repeat it once again, but this time add a little bit more speed to each word. Annunciate every word properly, especially that of the P's. Begin."

The worn and tired brunette sat sullenly in her chair grasping the edge as she sighed. "Why, what for now, huh? Come on Hotaru, please give me a break. My tongue is all…twisted out by all these twisting words. I just wanna−"

"Fix that posture, Mikan," her tutor instructed.

Mikan quickly readjusted her sitting, straightening her back, folding her hands neatly over her lap. "−I just wanna take a small little break, that's all I ask. Please can I, Hotaru? Oh, please, can I?"

Hotaru's eyes rolled as she breathed out a quick sigh. "Until I can get my favorite purple book repaired, in which you just so happened to destroy, we have to settle with this method. Repeat the entire sentence again like I instructed you to and then I might consent to giving you a small break."

Lighting her eyes in gratitude, the brunette braced herself for a five second round of tongue-tied words, speaking swiftly fast without a single stop. "I'm not the pheasant plucker, I'm the pheasant plucker's son, and I'm only plucking pheasant till the pheasant pluckers come."

She exhaled greatly, satisfied that it was over. "Okay, done. Break now?"

"Pfft…!" Hotaru held in a few snorts of laughter. "I can't believe it. You said it…you actually said it, so funny." She cackled using the back of her hand to cover her monotone-like laughter. "That was quite impressive, Mikan. To think that you could actually say it that fast is just too much. It's even funnier the second time."

Shifting in her seat, the displeased brunette glowered, obviously not liking the idea in being made fun of. "Stop laughing already! You keep doing that every time I say it. Seriously, what's the point in all this if you're just going to laugh all the time?"

"Ahem!" Hotaru lightly beat her chest. "You're right; we should take this more seriously." She gave another few grunts before readjusting her serious facade. "Since we've gone ahead and gotten that over with, I'd like to try out another twister, this time a lot longer. Why don't we−"

**_Thump! Thump! Thump! _**

A few hard knocks from the front door could be heard.

"Coming!" sung the happy-go-lucky cheerful tone stemming from the ever so ecstatic Narumi. His quick footsteps could be heard as he scurried…or more so…_twirled_ his way over towards the front door. An awkward moment of silence spread about the room.

Trying to recollect her thoughtful moment for teaching, Hotaru returned her focus back to the brunette.

"As I was saying… There are a few more that I want you to try out. I think that it would be best if we went ahead and−"

"Sir! You can't just waltz in here of your own free will. Sir!" Narumi's beckoning plea echoed across the room.

"Mind your business man, mind your business, it'll be alright. I've got a good reason to be a guest here don't I?"

Irritation grazed upon Hotaru's face, molding into a mode for being indescribably pissed off. She growled as she stood up with a vein nearly showing.

"For goodness sake! What is it now?" She briskly made her way towards the living room, agitation evident within her expression. "It's way too loud around here. What in the world is─"

"I ain't heard no simple rule that a fine gentleman such as myself can't be allowed into a decent place!" a voice bellowed loudly.

Suddenly, a rather roughhoused and uncannily dirty looking middle-aged man appeared, shooting right around the corner. Just behind him trailed a nervous Narumi, desperately trying to bring down the tone of voice coming from the abrasively stubborn guest.

"This world was made strictly on the values of justice, equality, manners, and ─ oh!" He fixed his eyes upon the displeased raven haired woman. "Well there you are. My apologies Miss, uh… Miss…"

"Imai's the name," Hotaru answered sourly.

"Yeah, yeah, that's it!" Izumi laughed nervously. "My humblest apologies Miss Imai, for showing up at your own home so rudely. Ya wouldn't believe it, but this fellow here," he pointed his thumb to Narumi, "had a hard way in showing respect when it came to letting me in. Being the kind gentleman that I was, I had no choice but to make my own self entrance ya know? Mind you, that I'm never one to be so rash in the first darn place, but I had to get in somehow."

Hotaru eyed him skeptically, studying the odd man in front of her. "Right… And exactly, what pleasure do I owe this… _stirring_ appearance of yours here at my own home?"

"Ah! That's rights, that's right. I do have a point in my excuse for me coming so suddenly. You see, I believe that there's a certain kind of um…compensation for me to collect if I can call it that. Concerning certain matters about my little girl."

"Compensation?" Hotaru asked curiously, instantly taking interest in one of her favorite subjects such as money.

"That's right, compensation. I believe that my little girl is─"

"What's with the big hold up going on over here, huh, Hotaru?" Mikan came around the corner from the dining area, rather ticked off after being left to wait so long. "If you're going to just leave me sitting there for no good reason, then you might as well go on and…"

"Well, lookie here! The rumors are really true; she was in here after all!"

Taking notice of an all too well familiar voice present in the room, Mikan slightly winced, gasped twice, and turned her vexed expression over to find what she would claim to be 'pure hell' standing right before her eyes.

Izumi bellowed out in laughter. "There's my girl, I just knew it! I'd recognize that noisy big mouth anywhere!"

Mikan stiffened, and then swallowed. Her hazel eyes nearly popped right out of their sockets. It couldn't be… It just couldn't! The man of whom she had sworn to forever despise was actually right here…in her very eyes, alive and well…

"Old man…what…the heck are you doing here?"

"Well, that's no way to speak to family. Where are your manners girl?" Izumi chuckled again, taking a few steps towards the brunette. He held his arms open wide, awaiting the chance for a loving embrace. "There's my little Mickey! Come here and give your ol' man a hug my little kitten!"

For Mikan, returning a warm hug wasn't exactly the first thing on her mind. Actually…it wasn't included in any of her thoughts at all. She gritted her teeth, clenched her now sweaty palms, and let out a tenaciously low growl from the pit of her diaphragm.

"Old man… So, you came for a little hug, did you?" Her face diminished into a dark scowl of detest. "Alright then, ol' man. I'll give you a hug…"

**.**

"Does my hair look okay?" Ruka asked his best friend as they both made their way to the front of Imai's humble abode.

His raven haired companion kept a snide attitude about him, rolling his eyes at the blonde's lack of self-esteem. "Your hair and outer appearance look just fine, Ruka. Stop asking me for like the tenth time already."

"I know, I know. It's just that I have to make sure that she takes notice of me, you know?"

Natsume lightly shook his head while adding a few quick knocks upon the door.

_**Ccrreak!**_

To their surprise, rather than openly being invited inside, they both found the door slowly creaking open for them. They stood still for a good five seconds, spared a quick bemused glance at each other, and after hearing the familiar rage of an angry brunette, immediately let themselves in.

_**Clash! **_

"Whoa!" Ruka quickly ducked his head, luckily evading a swiftly thrown porcelain plate that came crashing in his direction. He blinked twice, staring down at the shattered pieces that now lie on the floor. "What in the… What's going on here, what was that about?"

Before either one of them could respond, the sudden sight of a middle aged blonde came flying right past them, desperately trying to escape an angry Mikan who was trailing just behind him on a rampage.

"Calm down, calm down feisty kitten, calm down!" Izumi zipped right by the two overly stunned gentlemen as they looked on in disbelief.

"Die ol' man!" Mikan shouted as she continued to chase after her father.

Natsume and Ruka didn't know what to do, other than standing frozen still for the time being. Ruka's mouth literally dropped as the raven haired model squinted his eyes, trying to figure out what could've made the wild side of the stray cat to come out.

_**Clash!**_

Here they came again, dashing right back across the room in the other direction.

"Now come on Mickey, just listen! I was told that you were getting married and all, so I decided to ─ Whoa!"

_**Clash!**_

Izumi made a quick dive to the floor after seeing another porcelain dish being thrown in his direction. Letting out a few whiffs of relief from being missed, he grunted as he situated himself up from off of the floor and looked at his daughter, breathing heavily while wiping off a bit of sweat from his brow.

"Now, you look here! There's no reason for you to go behavin' this way child. You're a grown woman for crying out loud or at least other than that flat chest you've got there, I can tell that you're at least _something_ of one. You best start acting your age!"

Mikan gritted her teeth in rage. "Why you…!"

Before she could the chance to strangle his neck, she suddenly found herself being pulled by the arm, turning around to find a certain raven haired man pulling her to the side.

"What the hell are you doing?" Natsume asked her incredulously.

Ruka took notice of the poor girl's flustered outlook. "Miss Sakura… Are you alright, did something happen?"

"Eh, um… Excuse me my good gentlemen," a voice called to them.

Both Natsume and Ruka shifted their attention on the appearance of a middle aged man who was now brushing off the bit of dirt from his trousers. Izumi fixed his gaze upon the two handsome bachelors, taking in their features as he studied their faces.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but…" He eyed the two young men carefully. "Does either of you good fellows go by the name, Natsume Hyuuga, by any chance?"

Narrowing his eyes in skepticism, Natsume nodded carefully. "Yeah, that's me," he drawled. "I'm Natsume Hyuuga. Who the hell are you?"

Izumi chuckled lightly, striding his way towards the handsome young man as he shoved both hands into his side pockets. "My apologies kind sir, that was rude of me wasn't it? Manners do come first… I go by the name of Izumi. Izumi Yukihara, also known as the proud (but not too proud) father of little Mickey here."

He held out his hand as if awaiting a special award.

"And I believe that you, my good man, owe me a bit of compensation."

**.**

Random note: Did anyone try to sound out that tongue twister that Mikan said? If you say it really fast in five seconds time, it sounds like you're saying something very "wrong." I did it twice lol.


	13. Father, Father, My Bloody Father

**Disclaimer: **Nope.

**.**

P.H.- "You mean to say that you would sell your daughter for 50 pounds?"

C.P.- "Have you no morals man!"

A.D.- "No. Can't afford her governor. Not that I mean any harm, mind ya, but…

If Eliza's getting a bit out of this, why not me?"

**-Professor Henry Higgins, Colonel Pickering, Alfred Doolittle. My Fair Lady (1964)**

**Chapter 13: Father, Father, My "Bloody" Father**

**.**

"…I believe that you, my good man, owe me a bit of compensation."

Holding out his hand like that of a proud beggar, the dirty-blonde haired man stood tall. There wasn't a single sense of guilt hinted within his words, or shame for that matter.

Natsume stared back at him in disbelief, his mind literally blank with the ten seconds that passed on in silence.

Just what the hell was really going on here? This man with no amount of dignity or manners had the gall to stand here and demand money right out of nowhere as if it were a right?

He turned his head to Mikan to confirm things. "Who the hell is this?" he cocked his head towards the middle-aged man.

"A flat out cold-hearted pig!" the brunette growled out.

"Didn't I establish this?" Izumi interjected, redirecting Natsume's attention back to him. "I'm that girl's father and I'm here to collect my compensation."

Natsume blinked twice, trying to decide whether or not he should just knock the old fool into next year. "…Compensation?"

"That's right," Izumi nodded. "You're the richly famous bachelor, Natsume Hyuuga that I keep hearing about ain't ya? Well! That's all good then, because now, I can get my share that I so rightly deserve as being a part of this family."

This fool was downright confident within all his shameless glory to say things so ridiculously daring. Natsume narrowed his eyes. "What the hell are you talking about old man?"

"Well, shoot. Don't act like you don't know." Izumi gestured his head towards the brunette to Natsume's side. "It's plain as day, right here out in the open. You're planning on marrying my little Mickey here, ain't ya? That's great, just great!"

He patted Natsume's shoulder, who responded by shaking off his hand as if suddenly being touched by some taboo curse.

The dirty-blonde chuckled. "I'm happy for the two of ya! Just knowing that there's someone out there who's willing to take her off my hands really gives me great relief. However," he popped his neck, "I do expect the bit of, eh…family values, seeing as how I'm her only father."

Natsume's mind was literally shaken up by the baffling statement coming from the crazy old fool. "The…hell?"

Seeing his poor friend about to cuss up a storm, Ruka quickly intervened. "Wait a minute, wait a minute. Hold on…" He tried his best to hold back a laugh. "What you're saying is that _this,_" he pointed to his friend, "Natsume Hyuuga is supposedly marrying _your _daughter, Miss Sakura? And you expect to get a fair share of compensation out of _their _marriage?"

Izumi's eyes rolled, half tired from hearing the repeated obvious. "Didn't I just say that? That's the only good reason that I came all the way here. But, oh! Of course…" He basked a warm smile towards his daughter. "I also came for the one chance just to see my long lost little Mickey here. How have you been, kitten?"

"You crazy ol' man!" Mikan tried to lash out at him.

Ruka was quick to hold out his arm, reframing her from doing any harm. "Whoa there, girl. Heel."

"There's no sense in getting upset, pumpkin," Izumi cooed. "If anything, I was at least expecting a bit of affection seeing as that it's our long awaited reunion. I can't even get as much as a small hug from my own daughter?"

The all too clear hinted sarcasm stemming from the 'fatherly' tongue only enraged Mikan even more. "Who the…_hell _are you to show up before me, demanding money like the low-down piece of a junk father that you are after two long years? You're an awful brute…barbarian! A horrible man like you never even cared anything for my own mother… Your rotten dirty ol' man!"

Izumi frowned at his daughter's irately tone. "Now, you hold on just a damn minute, little Missy! Insulting my good traits and valuable characteristics is one thing, but don't you dare go denouncing my love that I hold for your mother. I loved Yuka more than life itself, and would have gladly given up my own just to have her back again. Your big mouth overdid it by crossing the line!"

He straddled both hands against the belt of his waist.

"Two years may have gone by and you might be a full grown woman now, but you best start minding your own father. I can still whip off this ol' girl from the loop of my trousers, I can."

Appearing to get the idea from past experiences, Mikan gasped, gulped, and hid behind Natsume's back. "Y-you horrible brute!" she said, while peeking over his shoulder. "All that talk of love and affection was just for show, like always. I don't want to see or talk to my bloody so called 'father' so you can just get out!"

"Watch that bad mouth of yours while standing in my presence, Mikan."

The drawled monotone voice caused everyone to shift their attention towards the right. Hotaru appeared from behind the other end of the hall with a curious looking Narumi trailing just behind her.

Her purple eyes hardened as she looked at Mikan. "I've warned you countless times not to take it upon yourself to swear off at the mouth so carelessly. Do I need to make a quick trip upstairs and bring down a bottle of Jolokia sauce to make you understand?"

"Ah!" Izumi clicked his tongue, satisfied to see Miss Imai. "There's the kindly humble lady of the house. I hear that you've been taking your valued time out in prepping my little Mickey up on um, eh…good speakin' terms as a real woman. Now that you've got her set up for what she's worth, it does me proud to know that she's prepared for a very rich suitor at such a young age. You have my sincerest thanks!"

Natsume snorted at the nonsensical remark. He turned his irritated glare towards his cousin. "Imai…What the hell do you think you're doing by bringing in this deranged fool ─ is this some kind of a joke to you?"

"Whatever do you mean, my dear cousin?" Hotaru replied casually, smiling ever so innocently. "This poor man came all the way here of his own free will just to get the chance in meeting his beloved daughter's soon to be husband. Why not consent to his wishes by providing a small fee to show your appreciation? You're rich enough as it is."

Natsume twitched. "…You cold fox for a woman."

"Hotaru, I think this man is actually serious." Acting as the mediator, Ruka came to stand in between the two relatives. "He truly believes that Miss Sakura and Natsume are soon to be married, and hopes to receive compensation once they've wedded. This has turned into a real sticky situation, don't you think?"

"That's not my problem now is it?" Hotaru shrugged uncaringly. "Apparently, word seems to have gotten around that Mikan often comes here, and now Hyuuga appears to be connected to the rumors centered on him becoming a husband. This only proves my point about how illogical this whole little game was from the very start. Besides…" A sly grin played at her lips. "Our family has always awaited the long life moment to witness him finally having a wedding of his own."

"Did you say wedding?" Narumi asked as his blue pupils burst in excitement. He jumped for joy on the tip of his toes. "Is it finally that blessed time to hear the angels sing? Oooh-I love weddings, absolutely adore weddings! I love them, I love them!"

"That's right, we love weddings," Hotaru chimed in.

Ruka smiled weakly. "H-Hotaru…you're not helping."

A very fed up Natsume bristled in resent, rubbing his temples in frustration. "I'm surrounded by idiots…"

"Hey, now, what's with the solemn glum vibe around here?" Izumi interrupted them. He frowned, folding both arms over his chest as he faced Natsume. "This young man don't look too happy none that he's my soon to be son in-law… Are you getting married to my little Mickey?"

Natsume shot a death glare. "Hell no," he answered sharply.

"Well, bloody hell to all of this!" the dirty-blonde waved his hand in the air in agitation. "I didn't take a long life's journey all the way here just to torture the aching soles to my feet… Somebody's gonna have to start coughing up _something._"

"So, the truth comes out now," Natsume said blatantly as if finally catching a thief. "You're nothing but a fraud, a hopeful and penniless idiot whose foolish dreams in having a run for his money control his life." He snorted, "That's clear right before my eyes. You have the yearning greed for getting what you desire, the true epitome of fool's gold. Tch. Typical for a lower class…"

Surprisingly, Natsume found the greedy fool laughing heartedly rather than becoming defensive. Izumi cackled out another laugh. "Ha! Such bold words hinted with a hateful taste of detest can't get no worse for someone whose heard all this before. Still, I'd be lying if I said that those cold remarks didn't inflict pain upon my pride as a man. I didn't mean no harm in wanting money; I'm a man who needs to support his only wife ya know."

The raven haired model quirked a brow, paying attentively close attention to his words. "Just how much did you have in mind?"

"It shouldn't be too much in your opinion," Izumi said while rubbing the back of his neck. "A fair amount should be, eh, let's see now…$300.00?"

Natsume smirked in amusement, "Right." He made his way towards the front door, swiftly pulling it open as he tilted his head to the side. "Get out."

"Get out!" Mikan repeated him.

"Now, now, hold on just a minute here." Izumi tried to make himself sound reasonable. He heaved in a heavy sigh. "Truth be told… I am a man whose morals have weakened drastically, but that's only due to the tragedies coming from a long life of poverty. Life is hard out in this cold and cruel world where people like me are at the bottom of the food chain. You can sympathize with me a bit on this, can't ya? All I ask is for a good amount for me to get on with my life. Let's make it $200.00 and I'll take my leave, you can keep little Mickey to do with her as how you see fit, and we'll both get our happy ending."

Natsume almost couldn't believe how simplistic this man was. It definitely proved something to be strangely admirable in a way. He quirked another brow and asked, "You mean to say that you would be willing to sell off your daughter for $200.00?"

Ruka's eyes widened in shock. "He doesn't have any shame at all…!"

"Well, now, I wouldn't go saying that," the father chuckled. "As awful as it may sound to you, I'm only being fairly truthful to my own word. I'm a man who can hardly get by on his own. Little Mickey could see that much, seeing as how she took off on her own to fend for herself. I'm a hardworking man and husband, trying to make an earnest living. If I see a chance in getting what I need to move on, can you really blame me?"

"You're a low-down sneaky selfish rat!" Mikan snarled.

"That's an undeniable fact," Natsume agreed. He sighed to himself as he shoved one hand into his side pocket, pulling out his wallet in the process. "A real sneaky rat that only goes for the gold, but also a strangely admirable man at the same time. How much did you say you needed?"

Mikan couldn't believe her ears. "H-hey! What do you think you're-?"

"Oh, not much really, kind sir," Izumi interjected. "I only prefer a good amount for $200.00, that's all. Nothing more, nothing less."

"It's a deal," Natsume obliged while handing the old man his desired pay.

The overly stunned brunette blinked again, balling her fists. "You're…both a couple of hard hearted mongrels!" she exclaimed.

"Now's not the time to go getting a sour face, kitten," Izumi grinned at his daughter. "Just because I took up my profit doesn't mean that you won't be seeing anymore of me again. We're family after all, and I gotta make sure that my little girl is getting by okay on her own."

"Y-you …crazy old fool!" Mikan snapped. "The only reason you would ever be coming to see me again is for the call of a death wish, that's what! You've got some nerve to stand there and talk like that in the presence of a lady. It ain't a decent thing to be admired, that's for sure!"

Trying to hold back a laugh of his own, Izumi scoffed, "Ha! A lady, you say? Well, sweetheart, I'll be damn if I'm looking at one right now, I'll tell ya that much." He clicked his tongue in disapproval. "You're still popping off at the mouth even though you're receiving private lessons from a richly admirable class such as Miss Imai. If you want to at least amount yourself as a real woman, then it's your sister that you oughta look up to. She's doing just fine on her own, living a good life by making the big bucks. Oh! Which reminds me…"

He shoved his wad of bills into his pocket before pulling out a crumpled sheet of paper.

"There you go," he smoothed out the wrinkles before handing it to Mikan. "On that sheet is the supposed address where your sister resides. She's only written me a while back, so I don't know if it's still good or not."

Mikan's eyes scanned over the sheet of paper. "M-Misaki still lives around here?" she asked surprised.

"Yep, somewhere around these parts," Izumi said while ruffling his dirty-blonde hair. "A long while back, she had written me something, asking about your whereabouts. I'd say it was just about the time that you decided to take off on your own. Nowadays, she appears to be making a living without so much as sending her ol' man some money. To think I had raised her from a bouncing baby girl too…"

Mikan snorted under her breath. "No greedy snake like you deserves any kind of amount, no less than what you've already gotten." She pointed to the door, "Make like the dog that you are and get out!"

"Ho! Well now," the father chuckled. "And those are supposed to be the words of a lady? Miss Imai's got her work cut out for her, I can see that much." He gave a sly grin. "Before you know it, you'll be tucking your tail, packing up your bags, and come crying right back to the streets of Como in no time. It'll be a miracle if you can even last another month. I'd even pay my received amount right back if I ever get the chance to see you walk down the balcony dressed in fancy clothes as a real woman... Ha! But like hell that's likely to happen, am I right?"

Mikan's hazel orbs widened, literally overcome by his words. "Y-you…!"

Her father grunted and came to pat a hand on top of Natsume's shoulder. "Best of luck with this feisty kitten, kiddo. You're gonna need it. But you know, there's always a way to handle her." He held up his palm and winked. "A good spank from the hand should do the trick, you can never go wrong. And you should always keep a good leather belt strapped to your waist."

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," Natsume nodded.

Patting the raven haired man's shoulder once more, the happily content fox of a father decided to take his leave. "Well, I'll be off now, no more interruptions." He chuckled before giving a small courteous bow. "Have a nice day folks!" With that being said, he took off, swiftly closing the door behind him.

Mikan pointed to the door in disbelief, glaring at Natsume. "And you decided to give money to a sneaky old weasel like him?"

"It wasn't that much anyway," he replied indifferently, shrugging his shoulders. "Besides, his odd character was strangely amusing and admirable all at the same time. Something that you don't come across too often."

"I-I can't believe you… You're just as bad as he is!"

"Stop all that complaining at the mouth little girl," Natsume responded sharply. "You're training up to be a woman, now aren't you? So start acting like one." He gave a light sigh before turning to his friend. "Ruka. I'm heading on out from here. Do you need a ride?"

"No thanks," the blonde happily declined. "If it's okay with you, I was thinking about sticking around a little more. A-actually…I'm hoping to try out a few dishes to see what Hotaru thinks of them." Ruka laughed nervously, turning his pleading blue pupils to his admired crush as if hoping to receive her consent.

Hotaru simply shrugged. "I'm not complaining about food, since a world class chef is willing to cook for free. Let's just hope that my taste buds will be satisfied this time." Next, she turned her stoic violet eyes to her cousin. "Oh, Hyuuga," she called, "before you go there's something that I wanted to tell you."

Stopping in his tracks, Natsume looked at the Ice Queen. "…What is it?" he asked sourly.

Keeping a sly smile to her lips, Hotaru folded her arms. "Just a heads up. Be expecting something quite…_eventful_ upon your return home. Okay? It's a little surprise, so don't be too shocked."

Holding back a small laugh, she turned to retreat towards the kitchen, lightly pulling a blushing Ruka by his arm.

"Let's get started chef. Your treat."

**.**

The long drive headed for home was a quiet one…or in Natsume's opinion, a little too quiet.

A stirring silence as well as an invisible brick wall was practically built in between him and a glowering brunette. Mikan sat far on the other side of the passenger's seat nearly curled up like a ball, arms folded defiantly over her chest.

"Hopefully the lesson with Imai went well," Natsume said casually. "You got a lot of work done today, right?"

Keeping to herself, Mikan said nothing as she held her silence.

"It's best that you did. Ruka came up with an out of the blue idea to test your skills in how far you've come. But before that happens, we're going to need to make sure you're ready. So, I'm thinking about giving you a small exercise of my own sometime tomorrow."

Silence…

Natsume flashed his eyes to the brunette's direction. "What, are you ignoring me now?" he demanded.

Mikan shifted her entire body around, refusing to look at him. She sulked in her seat, refusing to acknowledge his presence.

That was it. Fed up with the long silent treatment, Natsume accelerated his sports car and pulled over to theside of a nearby public park.

_**Scrreeech**__!_

He slammed onto his breaks, parking just beside the curb. He flipped off his Romani shades, narrowing his crimson red eyes at the stubborn brunette. "What the hell is wrong with you, huh?" he asked abrasively. "Ever since we left from Imai's, your attitude has just been getting even more sour by the second. It's starting to piss me off…"

More silence…

"Tch!" Natsume leaned over on the steering wheel. "Stubborn and headstrong… Those are two traits that I can tell you and your father share at least. Both of you like to get your way and when you don't, you'll probably settle for your own methods in getting it somehow in the end. Isn't that right?"

Mikan slightly twitched, still holding her tongue.

"Still, if I think about it," Natsume continued, "he has a cunning way with words to make up for his idiocy. That's something that I liked about him. He even described your personality pretty well, and you haven't even seen him in like what, two whole years? He can at least understand the pain in having to deal with a loud-mouthed woman."

Holding onto her last resolve, the brunette gritted her teeth while clenching her fists.

"And you're still not talking to me? What's your problem woman, you finally decide not to open your mouth for the first time? Hn… Childish girl."

_**Thump!**_

Finally fed up with his cocky words, Mikan angrily pounded her fist upon the armrest. "What the heck is wrong with me in not wanting to talk to you, huh? I can't even decide to hold my own breath, if I feel like it? Is that it? You're upset with me ignoring you? Oh! The world must pity you right now!"

Her suddenly intense display caught Natsume off guard. He stared back at her in awe.

"Does it bother you that I just don't feel like talking to someone who always dictates my life? Oh wait, I know! It's because I'm a loud-mouthed woman who will be nothing but a filthy street rat or stray cat in your eyes, isn't it? And _especially_ since you had the guts to humiliate me by actually buying me from my own bloody father! Maybe that's the reason, huh? You…stupid jerk!"

After raising her lungs inside the car, Mikan took all her restless energy and kicked the passenger door open. She stumbled out of the car, sticking her tongue at the one held responsible.

_**Bam! **_She slammed the car door shut and took off.

Natsume sat still, completely taken aback by the brunette's wild outburst. It took him at least six long seconds of emotionally silent blank staring, and two blinks before he was able to come back to realization. He gritted his teeth, growling under his breath as he tried to undue his seatbelt.

"What did she just… What the hell did she just-_oomph!_" Too caught up in the moment, he accidentally entangled himself, fiddling with the straps. "Dammit!"

Finally freeing himself, Natsume kicked the driver's side-door open, slammed it shut and overcome with rage, made his way out for the park. His big steps trampled their way across the sidewalk. He focused intensely around his surroundings, skimming through the crowd of people until…

"There!" His red eyes locked onto his target.

Mikan was found crouched to the ground just beside a fountain. She had her face buried within her knees, not even bothering to take notice of a certain raven haired man steadily approaching her.

Natsume called her name authoritatively, "Mikan!"

Even hearing the call upon her given name, the woman was still just as stubborn as ever. She sat defiantly frozen like a rock. He growled as he attempted to try again.

"Mikan… Get up."

"I'm not a dog!" was her snarled response.

Fed up enough, Natsume gritted his teeth. "Look woman, I said get up!" He reached for her arm, "And when I tell you something, you best believe that you'll do it when I say so. Now get up!" He went for both arms this time, pulling at her as if stretching out a piece of chewing gum.

"No… _Nooo_!" Mikan defied as he tried to haul her upright.

"Crazy…woman!" The hotheaded model took in another breather for a split second. He then grabbed her by the shoulders, letting out a frustrated growl. "I thought I told you to get the…"

His words cut off, instantly taken aback to find a few crystallized droplets lingering at the corner of her hazel orbs. It took him a good while before he realized that tears were actually streaming down the side of her face.

He started at her in bemusement. "What…What are you…?"

Mikan didn't even try to turn away from him this time. She glared into his crimson eyes**. **"Go ahead! You came to laugh at me, didn't you? I was sold off by my own father!"

What was she getting all emotional for? Natsume blinked twice, furrowing his brows as he looked at the crazy woman before him. "…What the hell are you talking about?" he demanded.

"Don't play dumb, you were there!" Mikan sniffed twice. "Y-you saw how my own father came to collect his reward after believing that I…was supposed to be married t-to a rich horrible b-brute like you. *sniff* He didn't even c-care anything about m-me! He made fun of me and laughed at me…and said awful things. And y-you!"

She began to beat at his chest, her little fists hoping to inflict damage as she flailed herself at him.

"Stupid jerk! You actually g-gave him money, buying me off like it was nothing and then treating me like trash the next. You bought me from m-my own father… My father!"

Unable to hold herself back any longer she lunged herself at Natsume, having them both fall back to the ground. He stared at her like she was a mad woman. It was hard for him to either be mad at her for crying salty tears upon his favorite shirt, or feel pity for actually seeing her cry.

"Mikan…" He tried to situate himself as he did his best to push her away from his chest.

Mikan cried aloud. "I-I don't wanna do this anymore. I don't want to be a woman!"

"What?" That one sentence was enough to send Natsume standing on his feet. He towered over the delusional woman, looking at her as if she really did belong in a mental institute. "The hell do you mean, you don't want to be a woman? Huh!"

"I don't want it!" Mikan repeated. "I'm…sick of this crap, I hate it all!"

"Stop that stupid talking, right now," the raven haired model commanded. "You're just overcome by a lot at the moment, that's all. I won't have you messing up my bet just for your crazy emotional family matters. Get over it, and suck up those tears."

"I said I don't want to anymore! I'm…not good at it, I'm not!"

Natsume couldn't believe his ears. Where did that usually headstrong, ambitiously fiery personality of hers run off to?

"Stop all that whining, it's meaningless. Suck it up already!" He growled under his breath, and yanked her up off from the ground by her arm. "I'll make you get up by pulling your arm, even if I have to break it."

Mikan suddenly let out a bloodcurdling scream. "Aah! If you break my arm, you better take me to the hospital!" she wailed.

By this time people had ceased from simply passing by, and stopped to gawk at the strange pair. Natsume cursed under his breath, clearly not liking the shared publicity. He had a career to uphold for cripes sake… "Come on, woman. You're making a scene… Get up!"

She clung to his knees. "You don't care about me at all!" she whined while rubbing her nose against his legs.

"W-what the… Hey!" Natsume nearly lost his balance, wanting to kick her away from his prized possession of Buckle-Branded jeans. "Damn…it…all!"

Finally deciding to give in, he groaned out in exasperation before submitting to the ground. He didn't even try to budge as the still crying brunette enwrapped her arms around the bottom half of his waist.

"You hate me, you've always hated me!" Mikan cried.

Geez…Honestly, what was with this woman? Natsume let out an exhausted sigh. "What the… Come on, woman. Why would I have a reason to hate you, huh?"

The brunette shook her head, refusing to believe him. "Lies! My own bloody father hated me enough to sell me off to someone like you… And now you hate me just as much as he does!"

Now, at this, Natsume had to arch a brow. He looked down at her. "You think that I'm going to do the same to you, is that it?"

It took another few sniveling cries before Mikan slowly nodded her head. Yes.

As cruel as it was, Natsume really did find a little humor in seeing the woman cry in his lap like that of an unwanted puppy. She was afraid to be bought and simply given away so easily? What a stupid thing to be crying about…

"That won't happen," his monotone voice said confidently as if stating a law.

Mikan stiffened before flashing her teary hazel eyes up to look at him. She sniffed again. "W-what did you just say?"

"That won't happen," Natsume repeated simply. "I've already bought you, didn't I? Why would a person like me give away something that I just bought so easily? And even before I bought you, I already told you that you would be living with me from now on, learning how to become," he gawked at her runny nose, "…a modest young woman. So, in the end, you're just crying your heart out for nothing. Tch. So stupid…"

Strange… For some odd reason, Mikan found his harsh words to be warm and oddly reassuring. "Y-you…really mean that?" she asked in between sniffs.

Natsume kept his expression heavily guarded, slowly shifting his eyes as he studied her face. "Want me to prove it to you?"

He didn't even let her get a say as he abruptly stood up, pulling her small frame along with him. Natsume held her tightly by the wrist forcing her to keep pace along with his long legs.

"H-hey, hold on a minute. Where are we going?"

"I'm proving my word," Natsume drawled back. He continued to stride ahead as he led her away towards an ice cream stand.

Squeals and gasps could be heard from the many female customers that awaited their turn. Natsume didn't even bother so much as to wait in the back of the line, allowing his reputation as a handsome, richly famous bachelor to do the talking for him. Each person gladly made way, making room just enough for the young heir and still the bemused brunette.

Natsume pulled Mikan next to his side, gesturing his head towards the stand. "What flavor?" he asked.

Mikan blinked back in confusion. "W-what?"

"Of all the… Look, woman" he grunted at her stupidity. "We're at an _**ice-cream **_stand. What _**flavor **_do you want?"

"S-strawberry?" the brunette stuttered.

Natsume arched a brow. "Is that a question, or is that your answer? Hurry up! You don't know? Fine, I'll choose for you."

"Wait a sec!" Mikan swiftly answered while pouting her cheeks. "Strawberry!"

The raven haired man snorted under his breath, turning to look at the vendor. "You heard the woman. Strawberry, it is. Here," he pulled out a ten dollar-bill, "keep the change, and hurry it up."

"Y-yes sir!" the vendor responded while taking the money. He did his best to quickly put together the given order, a little rushed by the impatient glare stemming from the antsy model's intimidating aura. "Here you go!"

Mikan hesitated at first, a little skeptical of the situation. She took the cone with a small smile, delighted by the deliciously frozen delectable treat. Seeing her satisfied expression, Natsume pulled at her arm again.

It was a quiet little walk as the brunette continued to follow after him. They made their way towards a bench just beyond a hilltop. Natsume came to a good stop, releasing her arm as he plopped himself down.

"There," he sighed while pulling out a cigarette. He whipped out his lighter and lit the tip. "You've got my word. So hurry up and dry those tears already."

Still wiping away a few tears, Mikan could only look at him in curiosity, trying to scrutinize his thoughts. "…You bought me an ice-cream cone just to prove your word?" she sniffed out.

He exhaled a small swig with a curt given nod. "What, you expected something more? No need… Why would I waste my time on buying you something if I just planned on discarding you in the process? You should really think about that, woman."

"Mikan," the brunette reminded him.

Natsume shrugged, releasing another breath of smoke. "Ch…"

After trying to figure out how strange this weird man's actions really were, Mikan released a sigh of her own. She decided to give up on the thought, finding a comfortable seat just beside him.

"You know," she muttered, slightly turning to look at him, "this is a pretty weird way to prove your word. Even so… I'm happy that you bought it." She looked into his red orbs, basking a warm smile. "This is the first time…in a very long time that anyone decided to buy me something. Thank you, Natsume!"

Oh…Crap. The model grunted under his breath, swiftly turning to look away. He hated it when his heart skipped a beat just from a simple smile…_her_ simple smile. It wasn't natural…

Mikan fiddled with her cone in silence. "My father," she began in a low tone.

Natsume cupped his chin, leaning over the edge of the bench as he tilted his head. "Huh?"

"My father…When my mother passed away, he didn't even hesitate to marry again. He remarried the same woman that he had met just before he married my mother. When that happened…" Mikan bit her lip. "When that happened everything changed. That woman always hated me…always treated me differently, putting me down about how I wasn't worth anything. My dad even stopped paying attention to me. After that, I didn't know what to do with myself. And I…" Unable to continue speaking of her past Mikan sighed and distanced her voice.

"…So, prove them wrong."

Mikan's eyes widened, looking at the raven haired model in surprise. "What?"

"Do you always make me repeat myself?" Natsume asked while putting out his cigarette. "Prove. Them. Wrong. Do it by becoming a real woman, and show them what you really are by laughing it up in their faces." He turned to look at her. "For a stubborn woman like you, that shouldn't be hard to do. You're not the type to give up easily, right?"

Mikan contemplated those words for a moment. "I-I don't think so…"

"Then again," Natsume continued, "it's not like you have much of a choice. Believe it or not, I'm going to make a woman out of you. Starting in the beginning of next month, I'll have you tested out at the most prestigious club in the country." He grinned. "You'd better find that spark of fire of yours quick. I won't have you quitting out on me, little girl."

Oddly enough, Mikan felt warmth coming from his confident and demanding tone. She smiled to herself, staring at the ground. "Maybe…laughing it up in their faces doesn't sound like a bad idea, huh?" She turned to lightly tug at his shirt. "I'll try a lot harder this time. Okay?"

_There she goes again, _Natsume thought to himself.

He kept a small grin to his lips as he slowly stood up. "That's what I like to hear. Let's head back to the hotel."

**.**

It had been a very long day. Finally making his way back home, the exhausted raven haired model sighed with relief. He reached out to pull for the knob, when suddenly…

"Natsume-sama! Mikan!" Nonoko appeared at the door, greeting them in excitement. "You're both finally back!"

The young master casually made his way inside, signaling his maid to lower her voice as he gestured his head towards his back.

Appearing to get the message, Nonoko covered her mouth and peeked around his shoulder, only to find a peaceful brunette sleeping soundly upon his back with her arms draped securely around his neck.

She gave a light gasp, unsure whether to be a little jealous or find it astounding to see the usually untamed kitten glued to her master. It was pretty impressive; concerning the fact that she assumed the brunette had a strong distaste for cynical snobs.

Nonoko blinked and pointed in disbelief. "W-what the…?"

"Quiet, Nonoko," Natsume demanded in a soft whisper. "I don't want her waking up complaining…"

"Oops!" she covered her mouth again. "What… in the world happened, Natsume-sama? S-she's actually asleep… on your back?"

"It's a long story," he replied in a low tone. Being quiet as possible, he released Mikan's hold from around his neck and lightly placed her upon the leather couch. "A lot of things happened. She's… had a long day, I guess."

Nonoko looked from her master, to the brunette, then back to her master again. She took another look at Mikan's sleeping face, and from right there…a small smile grazed her lips. She looked back up at Natsume. "You've grown fond of her, haven't you?"

Natsume stiffened a little, keeping a stoic expression. "What are you talking about?"

"She's a pretty heavy sleeper," Nonoko spoke softly while placing a pillow underneath Mikan's head. "It's pretty strange, isn't it? She can swear up a storm like the mouth of a sailor, beyond our wildest imaginations, and yet…" She laughed to herself. "And yet, she can look like an innocent angel when sleeping, like nothing in this world can touch her."

"Hn…"

"I believe that she has you to thank for that, Natsume-sama." The little maid winked at her young master, letting another smile play at her lips. "She's changing for the better, and I guess…you are too."

Natsume stood still for a while longer, contemplating his little maid's words as he continued to look on silently upon Mikan's peaceful expression. He snorted under his breath, finally deciding to break away. "You're just imagining things, Nonoko," he droned.

Nonoko rolled her eyes and said, "Well anyway, I'll go ahead and get a bath started for you. A side of red wine beside the tub again?"

"The one and only," Natsume sighed out as he found a comfortable position on his loveseat.

"Oh, and one more thing Natsume-sama," Nonoko said, while handing him a small envelope engraved with a gold-embedded design. "Here, take this. It came just not too long ago while you were away."

Arching a skeptic brow, Natsume wasted no time in opening the contents. He flipped open the neatly folded sheet of paper as he scanned over it.

"…The hell!"

His heart nearly stopped, reading over the message at least twice to confirm what it said:

**To: **My dear and loving cousin, Natsume Hyuuga,

Due to the expenses of my favorite porcelain plates,

you hereby owe me a compensation for the given amount: **$200,395.00**

And yes, I do expect this to be paid out in full cash.

Sincerely, with love,

**-Hotaru Imai**

**.**

Oh, the loving tortures of Hotaru Imai.^^


	14. It's Mine Alone

**Disclaimer: **Nope.

**.**

P.H.- "Damn! Damn! Damn! Damn! …I've grown accustomed to her face."

**-Professor Henry Higgins. My Fair Lady (1964)**

**Chapter 14: It's Mine Alone**

**.**

**Friday, October 18, 6:30pm**

"Hey, check it out. That guy kind of looks like him. Doesn't he?"

A few bystanders of gossiping goggling girls stared on in fascination at a handsome raven haired man.

"Get outta here. Stop kidding yourself, there's no way that's him."

He ignored them. Of course. He sat secluded to a table, his favorite pair of black Romani shades covering his ruby eyes as he absentmindedly played around with his unfinished cup of vanilla Frappuccino.

"I'm telling you! That guy looks exactly like Natsume Hyuuga! It's gotta be him."

"And that's why I'm telling you that you're hallucinating. Sure he's cute but, there's no way─"

He detoured his hearing elsewhere, not bothering to pay them any attention. Sitting rigidly in his seat, legs crossed with one arm propped upon his table, Natsume's focus was glued on a certain brunette. A certain brunette of whom he found to be annoyingly flamboyant as she pranced about Central Street.

One special task was given to her; one little exercise especially picked out from his preference just so that he could test how far his little street rat had come as a progressing woman.

Two words: Flower Girl. A flower girl for a day.

That was the little game that was given to the usually stubborn and headstrong Mikan Sakura. Carry around a basket full of pink cardinals and bright red roses around Central Town, put on a show while wearing a flirty little outfit, and bribe the passing customers by selling every single flower until there was nothing left.

It was a simple little exercise…or so he thought. To his surprise, Mikan Sakura turned out to be a better flower girl than he had expected.

"Over here! One pink cardinal please!"

Mikan turned to her next awaiting customer, flashing a warm smile. "Yes sir!"

The little brunette glided across the brick road street, her frilly pink dress floating along with her. She easily lit up the area, basking a bright smile that especially seemed to attract a lot of male bystanders. She batted her lashes, flaunted her sweet personality which earned her cooing compliments, and once she had made another investment, curtseyed like a lady before adding a courteous bow.

"Oh, Miss! Miss, right here!" an elderly woman beckoned to her. "One pink cardinal and red rose please."

Mikan nodded and smiled. "Yes ma'am. A pink cardinal and a red rose?"

"That's right, sweetheart. I very much love collecting flowers of all kinds." She smiled sweetly. "And my, I've never seen such a beautiful smile, basking in the day just like a flower would. I must say, you're quite beautiful dear."

The compliment added a blush to the brunette's face. Mikan could feel a warm emotion begin to surge through her. For the first time, she was able to make use of her personality, sharing a smile where people actually surrounded her. It was such a blissful feeling. Many other customers became quite fascinated as they gazed on in admiration.

"Hey, that flower girl's kinda cute, huh?"

"I'll say. Hey Miss! Miss, over here! One red rose for a single guy, please!"

Natsume slightly twitched. He cupped the side of his face, his eyes piercing through his tinted shades as he studied the scene. He didn't mean for her to attract so much damn attention like this.

Not that he was jealous or anything, it was just… It was just annoying to see her so full of confidence while flaunting that same stupid smile at all the many _male_ customers that probably only wanted the one shot at studying her bare legs and sensual curves. That was something that seemed to piss him off the most. That one smile was only supposed to be flaunted around him and him alone. No other man should share the privilege in receiving her warmth and the one shot in checking out her creamy…

"Ah hell," Natsume muttered to himself.

Why should he have to care who she smiles at anyway? It wasn't like he was actually going out with her or something, let alone, sleeping with her. There were plenty of women who were always willing to smile or show off their legs to him. It wasn't like he actually needed a _specific_ one. Damn… He frowned as he witnessed his choice of subject skipping up to his table.

His eyes roamed over her outer appearance. Although this was the same once untamed "street rat" for a woman that he was looking at, it was hard for him not to form sinfully pleasurable thoughts.

Her creamy legs looked as if they were just beckoning for his ruby red orbs to gaze upon them. The all too well and tightly fitted pink dress shaped her chest perfectly, making even her upper half to appeal ravishingly seductive. The light glossy shaded color of caramel mocha outlined her soft lips ever so carefully. Those soft, sensual, seductive…

"Natsume?" Mikan asked as she blinked twice, noticing the long trance coming from the raven haired man.

At the mention of his name Natsume snapped out of his thoughts. He stiffened a little as he regained his composure, cursing under his breath as he looked away.

"What?" he replied uncaringly, hoping to brush off the awkward moment.

"Geez, I've been calling out your name for a while now," Mikan sighed. She propped her nearly empty flower basket upon the table, taking a small sip from her smoothie. "Your idea to come here was a good one. I've been having so much fun!"

Natsume somewhat glowered in his seat, muttering under his breath. "That right?"

"Yes!" The brunette clasped her hands together. "Operation: Flower Girl was a great idea! I never thought Central Town would be so much fun."

"Not that having fun should be the first thing on your mind right now," the model replied sternly. "You were supposed to be using your charms as a lady, selling off every flower─" he gestured towards her basket, "from that bit of luggage that you've got right there. Instead, all you've been doing is flirting with almost every customer of the opposite sex, forgetting your primary motive." He snorted. "Hn. Typical airhead."

Mikan frowned. "You can't say that. I've only got two flowers left, look!" She held up her basket to prove her point.

"Whatever…"

"Anyway," the brunette sipped at her smoothie. "I just feel so much alive today. You know? For the first time I'm able to put my speaking qualities to good use, and talk to people." She laughed in excitement. "The first time that I heard you talk about it, I had to admit that I hated the idea of wearing a dress and heels again. Boy do I hate doing that! But you know? I actually like wearing heels now or…kinda sorta. I like the dress too! Many people complimented me on how well I looked while wearing it. This one lady said that I should try and take up some modeling shoots for a catalog or something like that. Well, anyway, there were so many people who wanted to buy a flower from me. I've never had so much fun like I did just now, that was the best time of my life, and I loved it! People actually enjoyed talking to me and even gave me great compliments on my smile and─"

A long talk for conversation wasn't really on the raven haired model's mind at the moment.

Ignoring the constant chattering from the brunette, he turned his focus elsewhere. Suddenly, his eyes locked onto a most…appealing sight.

Just at the far end of the side walk, a sexy looking red head sat secluded to a table. Natsume arched a brow, his focus set entirely on her.

"─but I think that I would have done better if I didn't say that," Mikan continued rambling on. "Still, if I think about it, that wasn't so wrong to say to someone that old. I mean he was an old man after all, and I know that I shouldn't have tried to turn him on just so that he could buy off a flower from me, but, still it's a little─"

Natsume ignored her.

It had been a good while since he had been with a woman, and now was just a good a time as any to finally start back up. The red head slowly finished off her bit of vanilla ice cream, licking it just from the tip as she flashed a teasing smile his way. Oh… she was doing her job alright. A sly grin started to creep upon Natsume's face, enjoying the little show.

"─Hotaru would've been proud, don't you think? Man!-If she could see how much I worked the scene today with all the big vocabulary words that she's taught me so far, I bet─"

Was it getting hotter by the second, or was it just his imagination?

Natsume was intently, most achingly, and _definitely_ becoming aroused with sinful thoughts as he stared across the sidewalk. He smirked. She was doing this on purpose.

She bent over on her elbows, allowing a busty display for kicks. Natsume whistled under his breath, letting his sly grin widen even more. What a sexy, flirty, enticing little─

_**Whap! **_

A shot of smoothie came splattering out of nowhere.

Natsume grunted sourly from being interrupted from his entertainment. He wiped off the side of his face in disgust. "What the hell was that?" he demanded.

Mikan titled her straw before placing it back in her cup. "Would. You. Like. A. Better. View?"

"Did you just…" The raven haired man wiped off his shades. "Did you just spit on me!"

"You weren't listening," was Mikan's simple defense. "I was talking to you?"

"Yeah well… Something else caught my interest."

"Well, that's a fact," Mikan said sourly while flashing her eyes over to the red head and back to the model. She pouted her cheeks in resent for being ignored. "I'm more important right now, so you can come back to life now from your pervert of the dead coma."

"Yeah, yeah, I…"

"Are you still looking at her?" the brunette folded both arms in disbelief. "Man you are… You are so rude and disrespectful, do you know that? I bet that you don't even know what I was talking about just then, do you?"

Looking off to his seductress, Natsume took five long seconds before giving a curt reply. "Nope. Don't know, don't care. I've got something else on my mind at the moment. And now I'm fixing to go get my bit of fun." He slowly arose from the table as he fixed his tinted shades. "Don't wait up."

Mikan watched in disgust as the big-headed model strode his way over towards the red head. He took his big ego along with him, settling down to join at her table.

Pouting a little, she puffed out her cheeks. "Oh! That…jerk!" For some reason it was hard for her not to be upset…whatever the reason was.

After all, here she was looking just as cute as ever, modeling a sexy pink dress for crying out loud. Where did the attention go for that? Mikan brushed it off and decided to get back to work.

"Forget about him, Mikan," she told herself. "Do your job. A flower girl. You're a flower girl. A flower girl!" She lifted her basket in the air. "Hell yeah! I'm a flower girl…dammit!"

A few bystanders gawked at her awkward outcry, but, nevertheless, she continued on with her routine.

She cleared her throat while putting on a smile. "Flowers here! Come buy a lovely flower for just a dollar!"

"I'll take those last two off your hands…"

That one suddenly lax and unfamiliar voice caught Mikan off guard.

Slowly, she looked behind to find a young man waving a ten dollar bill in the air.

She studied his appearance, a little taken aback by how handsome he was. Judging by his Burberry leather hat, he was one of fashionable taste.

He sat at his own table, legs slightly spread apart as he cupped the side of his face. His red hair was a pretty shade that seemed to compliment his popping teal green eyes. Mikan had to admit that his eyes almost rivaled that of Natsume's. Tantalizing and unspeakably attractive.

He smirked coyly, noticing the poor girl in a trance. "No go?"

"O-oh!" The brunette snapped away from her thoughts. "Y-yes sir!" She made her way over to his table, nearly tripping like the clumsy fool that she was after breaking away from a long daze. "That'll be $2.00 please, sir."

"Here you go," he said while holding out his ten.

"Oh, n-no sir," Mikan nervously refused him, "I'm afraid that you're trying to pay me t-too much. They're only $1.00 each."

The handsome man only grinned, a little amused to be turned down so quickly. "Well, I don't see any harm in giving you a ten. A pretty girl walks around in a─" he studied her figure, "stunningly beautiful dress, and only wants a measly earning of $2.00? That's no good."

"But s-sir… Ah, I mean, thank you for your offer─"

"Tell ya what," the man continued. "Let's just pretend that those last two flowers cost $5.00 each, and I'll go ahead and throw in this ten for both. Sound like a deal?" He added a special glint to his eyes that nearly made the brunette's pounding heart stop right there.

Mikan blushed and nodded in return. "T-thank you kindly, s-sir," her meek voice whispered out while completing her small trade.

Her flushed expression amused the red headed man even more. He smirked fully this time, letting his seductive smile put another skipped beat to the poor girl's heart. "No. The pleasure's all mine. Thank you, Miss…"

"Mikan," the brunette quickly finished for him. "M-my name is Mikan."

He nodded with another grin. "Name's Reo. Reo Mouri."

**.**

"Oh, wow, Natsume." A busty babe flipped her red tresses as she chuckled lightly. "I never imagined a famous heir like you to be quite the charmer." She licked her lips in delight. "That's something that definitely turns me on in a man."

Natsume grinned wryly. "Well, there's more to me than that. I'll show you more, if…" he reached out to cup the side of her hip, "you show me some of yours. I only need one night."

The red head laughed in return as she playfully swatted his hand away. "I'll bet there's a lot that a rich and handsome man like you can show me." She handed him a small wad of paper, especially embedded with her own lipstick stain just beside a few digits. "Call me?" she asked, or more so, _pleaded_ him with her eyes.

Natsume grinned. He snatched the paper from her fingers as he bent down to whisper something seductively playful in her ear.

She closed her eyes then opened them with a blush as she lightly pushed him away. "You're such a kidder, you know that?" she laughed.

The pure seductress bid a small farewell before deciding to take her leave. Smiling in content to himself, Natsume placed the small wad in his side pocket, satisfied with his desired catch. He had finally gotten what he had needed: A woman.

"Not too bad," he mused to himself. "She's got big knockers, that's for sure."

He made his way back across the other area of the side-walk. Everything was just fine for the most part…until he witnessed a jaw-dropping scene from the side of his peripheral vision.

"What-the…!" He had to blink twice, to make sure that he wasn't dreaming. Just from the other side was the little street rat for a flower girl seated at the same table with…

**.**

"You're pretending to be a flower girl, you say?"

"That's right," Mikan replied with a smile. "Operation: Flower Girl. That's what my job is for the day."

Reo tipped his chin to the side as he studied the little brunette. "That's…really something."

"So, what do you do for a living, Reo?"

At first, the young man had to ponder on that question. He put a finger to his chin, pretending to trail off in thought. "Hm… You could say that my hobby lies within taking pictures, I guess."

Mikan cocked her head. "You take pictures?" she asked, fully interested.

Reo shrugged. "More or less. Taking pictures of people is really my hobby. I find it rather fun to pry in on people's daily lives." He flashed his teal green eyes to his guest. "You've never heard of me?"

"Heard of you?" Mikan asked while studying his face. She noticed him flash another sly grin and blushed before quickly looking away. "C-can't say that I have. Sorry."

Hearing her honest answer pretty much astounded Reo. He stared at her in silence, his face switching from shock to amusement. He couldn't help but laugh at the response. "R-really?" he chuckled. "You're really serious?"

A little embarrassed, the brunette puffed her cheeks in return. "What's so funny?" she demanded.

"P-please forgive me," Reo chuckled out his last laugh while wiping a small tear from his face. "It's just that…well, it's not every day that someone doesn't know me by my face or even my own name. That's rare, or I might say…_odd_ for someone, a girl of all people, like you to not know who I am." He grinned playfully as he folded both hands under his chin. "Interesting… That's very, _very_ interesting Mikan. I'm beginning to like you the more I talk to you."

Caught in another trance after gazing into his eyes, Mikan didn't even notice him taking her by the hand.

Reo slowly lifted it to his lips, gently pressing them to the back of her hand for a small kiss. She blushed a deep red at his charming gesture, a little more than shocked but nonetheless, enraptured by his handsome qualities and mannerisms.

He placed another chaste kiss before flaunting another grin. "I think…I'm beginning to like you a little too much, Mikan."

The blushing brunette felt her heart go a flutter as the still tingling sensation from his light kiss began to take over. "I-I…Ah…" She smiled, hiding another blush. "Thank─"

"What the hell is this?"

Interrupting their little conversation, the raven haired model appeared on the scene. He snatched Mikan up by the arm, forcing her upright to his side.

Her head turned to stare up at him in surprise. "N-Natsume!"

"Natsume Hyuuga…"

Surprised to see an old familiar face, Reo slowly stood up from the table, eyeing the raven haired model. The pair slowly turned their heads to the attention of the red headed young man.

Mikan looked at them both. "Y-you two know each other?"

Natsume studied the man for a while before curtly answering, "No." He then grabbed Mikan by the wrist with force. "Come on, woman. We're leaving."

"You could say that," Reo replied smoothly, causing Natsume to stop short. "Back before I became a photographer, I used to humor myself by making the big bucks in the modeling industry. Natsume and I were fellow clients of the same business. That is…" He shoved both hands into his pockets while chuckling lightly. "That is, until he started getting more of the spotlight. But, ah, let's face it. His good looks and bad boy persona always rivaled with that of my own skills, and he's quite the ladies' man. I have more fun earning my keep by snapping shots anyway."

Natsume snorted in response. "You sure like to sum it all up with just a few words. That's just like you, Reo."

"Wow, that's amazing!" Mikan marveled at the facts. "So…you two know each other because you used to model together?"

Reo gave another shrug and nodded. "Yep. Old acquaintances ─ Past model and New model. But, oh," he clicked his tongue, "not to mention the fact that my cousin also happens to have a long life child-hood crush on him. That counts too."

At the mention of the unwanted topic, Natsume went rigid. "Your damn cousin is a whole different breed of women…"

"But, a woman nonetheless," Reo chuckled in return. "Still, I wonder…" He tipped a finger to his chin as he speculated the pair. "What's a cutie like you doing with a hothead drama queen like Hyuuga anyway, huh, Mikan?"

Natsume instantly turned to the woman, his stoic expression now in disgust. "First name basis already?" he asked her.

The brunette tried to ignore his harsh gaze. "S-so what? It's nothing big with names. He's really nice."

Reo studied the pair for a brief moment. He calculated to himself, quirking an inquisitive brow. "Is it me, or… are you two dating?"

That one question was enough to bring in the tense air. "Hell no!" the two quickly snapped in unison.

"Gross," Natsume faked out a cough. "She's…a distant cousin and is visiting here for a while. That's all, nothing more."

"T-that's right," Mikan nodded in agreement.

"Well now," Reo laughed. "Then that changes thing now, doesn't it?" He made a few small strides towards the young woman and lifted her hand before placing another small kiss. Natsume slightly tensed, which did not go unnoticed by the red headed heartthrob. He grinned. "Since she'll supposedly be staying here for a while, I do hope to see more of her, Natsume. You have a very attractive cousin."

Mikan could feel her chest fluttering with butterflies once again. She blushed and looked down to the ground, hoping to hide her red cheeks. Natsume eyed her skeptically, a bit disgusted by how easily the woman could go red after hearing one simple compliment.

Reo gave a genuine smile, admiring the brunette's slender legs. "Well then, Mikan," his tempting voice cooed out. "Seeing that we're now friends, I hope to be able to see more of that pretty face of yours." He smirked. "I never lose sight of something once it's caught my interest. Remember that…"

**.**

"─Your damn flirty attitude. That's what my problem is!"

An agitated Natsume stormed into his private suite. It should've been a peaceful sign to come home, but right now, his mind was just a mad mess of frustration. He felt agitated and strangely pissed off more than ever.

"Flirting around with so many guys. You didn't even get your job done!"

"Do you really have a right to talk?" Here came Mikan, storming in just behind him. She flared her nostrils, clearly upset with the stubborn model who was only acting like a jerk due to whatever stupid immoral reason that he had. "I was doing my job the whole dang time, but you were off talking it up with another─"

"Shut up, and close the door!" the model demanded.

Mikan frowned. "D-don't you tell me to shut up!" Despite her shaky voice for courage, she still obeyed the order. "Why are you so upset? I don't get what your problem─"

"I told you to shut up, already. Nonoko!" Natsume called as he threw his jacket upon the couch. "Nonoko!"

"She's not here, stupid," the brunette reminded him. "She's running errands again, remember?"

"Whatever…"

The restless pair managed to make their way upstairs. Despite Natsume's foul attitude at the present given moment, Mikan followed behind, still ranting on at the mouth. It proved to her that the headstrong model just couldn't be any more stubborn.

"Just what was so wrong with me talking to that guy anyway, huh?" she demanded.

"You idiot," Natsume snarled. "That bastard just so happens to be a top photographer. And a highly paid one at that."

Mikan shrugged. "So what? He told me that already. He takes pictures of people."

This woman was just so dense. Natsume rolled his eyes as he turned to face her. "Right. A photographer who takes the daily photos of celebrities. Get it now? He's a part of the _paparazzi._ He's a sneaky little rat that gets paid the big bucks by scooping up dirt's of information."

The brunette's eyes widened then settled. "O-oh…I didn't know."

"_You didn't know?" _Natsume mimicked her sarcastically with a snort. "Your stupidity could've cost me my own career. If you decided to run off at the mouth any more than that─"

"But it's not like he found out anything," Mikan defended. "Besides, you should be happy that I completed my exercise today as a flower girl. I'll have you know that I happened to sell off every single flower just like you had instructed me to as a _real_ woman."

Natsume nearly held back a laugh at her confidence. "Really?" he scoffed. "So you managed to catch a lot of attention. Don't start getting a big head just yet, little girl. You're still not up to par in becoming a full woman."

Placing both hands on her hips, Mikan challenged his words. "What's that supposed to mean, huh?"

Giving her a roll of his eyes, Natsume made his way for his bedroom door. "It means what it means," he replied nonchalant while letting himself in. "You still have to prove your worth as a woman. There's a lot more to it than that."

"Oh, and I suppose you know then?" Mikan asked him. She followed him into his room, intent on getting straight to the point. "Someone like you knows it all?"

Natsume trudged his way to his dresser, snorting under his breath while removing his pair of shoes. He simply shrugged. "Why wouldn't I? There's a lot to consider when it comes to a woman, you know." He crossed both his arms while studying the brunette's upper chest. "A man doesn't just want a simple _side-dish _for an appetizer. He wants the whole damn entrée if he can get it."

Following the pervert's newly directed attention, the flustered brunette was quick to cover both arms over chest. "Y-you perverted creep. Just what kind of special 'entrée' were you talking about, huh?"

Natsume rolled his eyes. "If you don't know, then just leave it at that. And you can relax, without covering your chest. There's nothing much to look at anyway."

Mikan gasped. "Arrogant jerk! It amazes me how you pretend to play the celebrity gentleman when you're just a selfish pervert, thinking that you can get any woman that you lay your eyes on."

"That's because I can," the hot model smugly replied in a matter of fact tone. "Aside from a noisy brat like you, if I wanted a busty looking babe just for kicks, then I'd take her." He counted off from his fingers, "I'd charm her up with a few words, have her knock out a few strong tequilas, then right when she's ready to blow, I'll take her up to my private suite and have her─"

"You're…sick!" Mikan interjected while wrinkling her nose. "You always like to act so high and mighty all the time. What that naive red head in Central saw in you is something that I'll never know. You're such a-a…selfish womanizer!"

Natsume clicked his tongue at this. "Sounds to me like you're just jealous," his crisp blunt words stated flatly.

At that instant, Mikan's cheeks nearly went red. She swallowed her tongue before stuttering out a response. "W-what! You d-don't know what you're talking about. Saying stuff like that so easily…I just don't get how a selfish jerk like you, not to mention pervert, can have just about every girl falling at his feet like ─ Whoa, whoa!"

Mikan's hazel orbs nearly bulged right out of their sockets. Almost losing her footing, she stumbled backwards, witnessing a now half-naked Natsume standing right before her eyes.

All that was left of his clothes was a pair of dark black jeans that fitted well around his nicely built torso. Her jaw dropped in awe. "Y-you…!" she exclaimed while pointing accusingly in his direction. "W-what are…What the hell are you doing?"

Finishing the process of whipping his shirt off, Natsume simply sighed before discarding it to the floor. "What does it look like woman? I'm getting ready to take a shower."

At that moment, the flushed brunette found herself slowly sinking to the floor. Her eyes ran up and down, left and right, looking all over the Adonis-built chest that basked in her presence. It was the first time that she had ever seen a man's chest…a very well built one at that.

It was one to make any woman want to run the palm of her hands all over it and just die in ecstasy at the touch from his hard built abs. Natsume truly was a model; he had no flaws or faults to his outer appearance.

"Y-you just c-can't take off your shirt in front of a woman like that! Who knows what kind of perverted things are running through your head right now…"

Hearing such an off-the-wall statement like that made Natsume laugh. "Now that's nothing that you don't need to bother worrying about. I wouldn't waste my time on trying to take away anything sexually feminine from a scrawny little thing like you." He snorted. "No taste of fashion, no personality, no curves, and no chest. Even your lips would be the last thing I would consider taking away."

Ouch! Right at the mark.

Mikan knew that she probably would never amount up to a sexy woman, but she was a woman all the least. It actually hurt to hear him disregard her feminine qualities as if making a quick hit-and-run.

She clenched her fists. "I'd never let some conceited jerk like you kiss me anyway… So, stop acting so full of yourself!" Her voice started to rise. "You're a low-down selfish, arrogant, snobby, cynical, crude…womanizer! A horrible womanizer who only cares about himself. I'd do better in kissing that Reo guy, or whatever the heck is name is. He's nice, funny, and especially kind. At least _he_ would be a hell lot better of a kisser than a jerk like you!"

Strangely enough, Natsume found himself stiffening on edge, nearly bristling at the idea of her lip locked and tongue tied with Reo Mouri of all bastards. It was more than a huge slap in the face.

He grunted under his breath before making five small strides to her direction. His face bent down towards her own as he locked his hard gaze.

"Listen up, little girl," his dry tone scathed. "In case you haven't noticed, you and your loud-mouthed nosey little behind always seem to get yourself into trouble. No one wants to take on something like you, being the penniless stray cat that you are. _I'm _the one who decided to bring you in, and _I'm_ the one who will decide things for you. Your big mouth isn't going to be my downfall for my career. I'll have you by the leash, making you heel to my word whenever I say so. So you don't really get the share to complain at all. Understand?"

Mikan didn't say anything. Her mouth went dry as she listened to his harsh words. Thinking that he had finally gotten her to shut up, the model snorted under his breath and turned to walk off.

"So, now that your mouth is done," he finished smugly, "why don't you go ahead and make yourself useful by handing me my pair of slippers beside you, huh?"

Demanding, sharp, and hurtfully cold.

Once again, the red eyed demon managed to bare his fangs while making her feel like worthless trash. Mikan gritted her teeth, turning her eyes towards the pair of black slippers just beside her, gripping them tightly.

"Here you…go!"

_**Whap! **_

Getting a good aim, she swiftly threw both slippers at the head of her target. "There! Take your bloody slippers!"

Natsume felt a light jolt run at the back of his head from the sudden impact. Gritting his teeth, he immediately ceased from walking and turned to release a low growl at the feisty little brunette.

Mikan, once realizing her fatal mistake, gulped after catching onto his murderous aura. "Oh, I-I…I didn't mean…"

Seething under his breath, the raven haired demon snarled at his prey. His crimson eyes hardened. At that instant his legs were briskly making his way towards the annoying woman, ready to strangle her senseless. The brunette let out a small squeal of surprise as he came running after her.

It became a small game of cat and mouse, the two of them swiftly running about the room, then next around the bed. Mikan tried her best to take a quick detour for the door, but was only stopped from her raven haired nemesis.

"Ah!" she cried as Natsume pulled her away from the knob.

In the blink of an eye, her back was suddenly prone to the bed with her slender legs enveloped securely around his waist. Taking notice of her present situation, she tried to act fast, doing her best to push him away.

No good. Her situation only proved worse as she felt his hard muscular body pressing down even further upon her small frame. "Get off!" she grunted, still trying to break free. "Get off of me!"

Seeing her futility, Natsume firmly cuffed a hold to both her wrists, tightening his grip as he held her in place. She squirmed even more mentally cursing to herself. Just what in the world was going on here?

Natsume's grip tightened more as he let out a tenaciously low growl, causing the squirming brunette to cease from moving. His body weight pressed down further onto her chest, hinting her with the utmost superiority that he was in control, and that she was to stay put. It became a ten second game of silent staring, nothing but the panted sounds brought on from the brunette's constant squirming. Mikan froze underneath his hard and cold gaze, feeling a bit insecure just by looking at him. She bit her lip and tried looked away.

Natsume frowned. "Look at me," he demanded her.

She flinched, but decided to comply. Slowly, Mikan let her gaze shift back. "W-what is it?"

Natsume kept his own expression guarded; scanning over the little brunette as he slowly neared his face towards her own. "Take it back…"

Mikan flinched at his cold harshness. "T-take what back?"

"What you said earlier, idiot."

"Wha-?" The brunette furrowed her brows. "I won't take it back. Not that I know what the heck you're talking about, but if you think─"

"Doesn't matter," Natsume's raspy voice interrupted her. "You've insulted my pride in the harshest way possible. I won't let you go kissing others so easily. In the end, you've lost this round." With that said, he immediately seized her lips, covering them with his own. He pressed onto her, not caring at all if he was being rough.

For Mikan, the experience was something completely foreign to her.

At first, she was unsure as how to respond. She did her best to squirm from his grasp, which only made him increase the force of his mouth on hers even more. He pressed down further, nipping at her bottom lip. Mikan gasped in return, accidentally granting him full access into her mouth. His body was slowly becoming hotter by the second just by kissing her, making him want more of her.

His intentions were only to kiss her, make her shut up and simply get his point across. But this woman… this woman did more to him than what he had intended. Her soft lips were like a blessing in disguise ─ giving him lust yet making him ache for her even more.

He released her, but only for a brief second before plunging back into her sweet cavern. She stirred under his body, a bit taken aback from another one of his teasing suckles and small nips. Still, she had to admit that it did turn her on. Never did she think that such a strong fervent kiss from a man would feel so good. A man like Natsume…

Natsume added another long heated and breathless push to his kiss. Mikan moaned in response, a little embarrassed for doing so. The man was kissing her like crazy, nearly assaulting her mouth. His raven bangs tickled at her face as their mouths moved in unison. Finally coming back to his senses, the raven haired model slowly decided to retreat from her now swollen lips. She panted heavily, a little worn out from their tongue-tied escapade.

They both stayed silent as they lay in bed, her back faced down as he towered over her small frame. Mikan kept still as she stared deep into those vast and dangerously seductive pair of ruby-red crimson orbs. They nearly penetrated her, delving deep into her soul as she lay motionless under his body.

Slowly releasing his grasp from both her wrists, Natsume allowed himself to rise up from off the bed, his back faced to her. "So, now you know," his burly voice spoke softly. "You can't just go kissing anybody. I'll be the one to have that from you… Your first one is mine, and mine alone."

Having gotten his say, he made a few quiet strides of walking for the bathroom door. He closed it shut, leaving only an awkward moment of silence for the still entranced brunette.

She lay motionless in her prone position, staring at nothing but the ceiling. She breathed and mentally counted to three, then slowly lifted up her fingers to touch her lips. Her heart was speedily beating out of control from what had just happened. It was so sudden, something completely unexpected. But still…

"…It felt nice."

**.**

Oh my asdfjkl they kissed^^


	15. His Pride

**Disclaimer: ***sings* I-don't-own-anything.

**.**

P.H.- "…The question is not whether I treat you rudely,

but whether you've ever heard me treat anyone else better."

**-Professor Henry Higgins. My Fair Lady (1964)**

**Chapter 15: His Pride**

**.**

She held her patience ever so diligently. Her legs were slightly bent as she stood with her back half crouched, and both palms of her hands placed over her knees.

Her purple eyes were hinted with the utmost concentration as they stared through the transparent glass of the oven. Sweat trickling down from her pores, she flashed a glance at the timer sitting just beside the nearby microwave. She bit her lip, doing her best to hold out the wait just a little bit longer when suddenly…

_**Ding! **_- came the ringing chime of the bell, sweet music to her ears.

Knowing that the wait was over, she didn't waste a single second as she swapped on a red plaid baking glove on either hand. Her heart fluttered in anticipation as she opened the latch of the oven door, and reached in excitedly to pull out a warm, moist, and delectable treat for a raspberry pie.

Nonoko breathed in the heavenly scented aroma of raspberry filling, closing her eyes in satisfaction.

Content with the warm-lingering sensation that flooded her nostrils, she made sure to turn off the oven just before placing the pie on a porcelain glass plate. With a pleased smile, she headed for the living room area.

"Natsume-sama! Mikan!" she called their names, highly anticipating their satisfied faces once they've savored a taste of raspberry. "Come join me for a really tasty treat. I've got a─"

"You damn selfish jerk!"

Right smack in the middle out of nowhere, a frenzy brunette came franticly appearing just around the corner, and then suddenly…

_**WHOOSH! **_

"Ah!"

In a split given second, a black sneaker had been sent flying from her hand and thrown right into the little maid's direction.

Nonoko watched in horror as she witnessed her best piece of work tumbling threw the air then suddenly landing with a quick plop to the floor. The porcelain glass plate clashed to the floor, leaving the crusty craving crumbles of the sweet, raspberry pie in pieces.

"Oh, no!" Nonoko stared in forlorn. All her hard work instilled with love and care for that stunning piece of art had gone to waste. "M-my pie…"

"Woman, if you throw my damn shoe one more time…!"

Not wasting a single second for swift movement, Natsume stumbled upon the scene sliding across the marble tiled floor in his socks.

He flared his nostrils as he bent down to pick up his shoe, grunting as he struggled to put it on. "Crazy, stupid woman. Hand the other one back to me, right now!"

Nonoko turned her attentive gaze to look upon her young master. "Natsume-sama?" she asked, shocked.

"Not until you ask properly!" Mikan refused. She created just enough space between her and Natsume, standing behind the couch. "You're so rude," she shook the other pair of sneaker as if to scold him. "What, aren't you supposed to be a gentleman? I didn't hear any 'please' in that sentence, you know."

The maid switched her focus from Natsume to the brunette. "M-Mikan?" she stuttered. "W-what on earth…"

"You're the one that started going crazy, running off with a shoe," Natsume challenged. Doing his best for walking with just one shoe on his foot, he managed to limp his way towards the couch. "Stop with all these stupid foolish games woman, and give me back my shoe. I've got a date to go to."

"Just try and get it back," Mikan snorted. "Get down on your knees like the dog that you are and beg for it. Here," she teased, dangling the sneaker by the tip of her finger, "go on and take it. I'll let you get a free shot. Go ahead."

Natsume scowled in return. "Woman," he warned dryly, "I'm going to give you to the count of _three_ to hand over my shoe. Or else…"

Watching from the sidelines, Nonoko desperately tried to get her say. "Natsume-sama, Mikan," she pleaded. "Come on. Stop it, I said. Why are you two─?"

"Yeah?" the brunette snorted while quirking a brow. She didn't appear to be phased. "Or else wha─" She didn't finish.

She suddenly found herself being pulled firmly by the wrist. Not expecting a thing, Mikan gave a loud yelp as Natsume grabbed a hold to her arm, flinging her right over the couch. She landed face down inside of the cushion with his large frame towering over her.

"Or else I'll strangle you senseless, you stupid little girl!"

Mikan's mouth dropped in awe at the sight of a calloused hand coming straight for her neck.

"Ah! Don't you dare hit me!" she screamed in fright, doing her best to push away from the unruly barbarian. "Y-you didn't even count to three, you liar!"

Natsume clenched his teeth. He had enough of her big mouth. "Why can't you ever shut up, you─"

"HEY! I said stop it, _already_!"

Suddenly taken aback by the little maid's grating demand, both Natsume and Mikan froze on the spot. Their heads slowly turned in unison to find an angry and displeased Nonoko scowling at them.

She folded her arms over her chest, tapping her foot. "Now, you two just love causing trouble, don't you? A modern day Bonnie and Clyde. Look, what you've done." She pointed to her broken masterpiece. "My pie is completely ruined because of your childish actions and now I'm the one who has to suffer for it. Do you think that I deserve this? Better yet, what in the world brought this on anyway?"

"Well, that's easy," Mikan grunted, pushing Natsume away from her as she stood up. "These past few months I've been doing nothing but studying proper language, sentence structures, and wasting my time with other stupid things that I find to be completely _boring._"

She dramatized with a hand on one side of her hip, flipping the few auburn strands away from her face.

"I'm doing all this hard work, and for what? Only for this─" she pointed angrily at Natsume, "stupid, selfish jerk and his crazy stupid bet! It's so unfair, the way he treats me. Not once has he ever congratulated me on a job well done. I can't get at least one, _"Great job, Mikan,"_ or even a, _"I'm really proud of you, Mikan," _and I sure as hell haven't even gotten a single, _"Thank you, Mikan." _Nothing. Zero. Zip. No appreciation for my loyalties to him at all!"

"First of all," was Natsume's sharp retort as he snatched his other shoe from the brunette, "that bet was made free of choice, in which you so willingly decided to comply. A loud-mouthed street rat, (that's you by the way), becoming tamed under my hand, remember?"

Mikan found herself slowly backing away one step at a time as he cornered her to the wall.

"And second of all, I sure as hell don't see any sense for me to baby you with endearing comments for something that's already to be expected of you. What, you want me to pop a sucker into your mouth and give you a pat on the head?" He snorted sarcastically, "I don't think so."

Mikan frowned, removing her back from the wall. "You always have to sound so high and mighty. Why can't you ever be considerate for once? I'll tell you why." It was her turn to face him down this time. "It's because you have a stick up past that spoiled asinine personality of yours. It's because your head is so thick that you're completely blindsided and refuse to hear opinions other than your own. It's because you're just too damn proud all the time, that's why!"

Nonoko marveled in fascination at how well the brunette was able to pinpoint her master's faults. She whistled a little under her breath, holding back a snort of laughter at the sight of Natsume's glowering scowl.

His jaw somewhat tensed. "So, what now? Just because you have issues with the way that I am, all of a sudden _**I'm **_supposed be the one to compensate for it?"

"That's not really the point, though it's half the problem," Mikan shrugged. "You said that you would take me to that new bakery, remember? The one on Ridgley Lane? You promised me that you would take me there, I remember it clearly. I heard that they sell really good chocolates, so I wanted to go. All my hard work has been paying off, and you had given me your word that you would take me. Even so, you lied in the end only to brush me off for some damn stupid date…"

Once getting a good earful from the problem, the little maid gave a much agreed nod.

"You know, she does have a point, Natsume-sama." She held back a small laugh in response to her young master scowling in her direction. "I'm really serious. You see, other than Ruka-sama and I, Mikan isn't as patient with your adamant personality like we are. In your case, I'd say that the two of you resemble…" She mused to herself before giving a quick snap of her fingers, " Belle and The Beast like in that popular fairy-tale. Yeah, that's it! Natsume-sama, you're the rash, stubbornly prideful, cold-hearted brute of a beast while Mikan is the warm, kind loving soul that brings in the light to your darkness. It fits so well for the two of you; it's totally cliché!"

"Well what the hell kind of nonsense is that?" Natsume retorted, refusing to believe something so stupid. "Nonoko, you just like having your head up in the clouds, fantasizing over some stupid childish fairy-tale that doesn't have a damn thing to do with my situation. Of all the crap that─"

"You see what I mean?" Nonoko cut him off with both hands on either side of hips. "Your 'Beast' is showing again, Natsume-sama. Without even considering the feelings of others, you're quick to lash out from the tongue and harm just about everyone around you in less than three seconds." She arched an eyebrow. "That sounds exactly like something that your mother would say, wouldn't you agree?"

"W-what?" Natsume stuttered effortlessly. "She isn't… That doesn't… Ah, I mean…" He cut his eyes to the brunette, indecisive with his words. "You always… Ah, no I mean… Why can't you… I…"

Nonoko smiled teasingly.

Too tongue-tied for words, the hotheaded young heir tensed his jaw, running a hand through his hair and begrudgingly muttered, _"Fine." _He grunted out a frustrated sigh. "Fine," he repeated. Once fixing his cotton red, long-sleeve shirt at the collar, he made a few swift given strides for the kitchen.

Mikan and Nonoko watched him in curiosity only to find him coming back out with a pair of car keys in one hand with his black, Burberry leather jacket in the other. He grasped hold of the handle to the front door and made a quick stop as if suddenly remembering something.

His head snapped to the brunette, burning a frustrated glare. "You. Six o' clock on the dot. Bakery. When I get back."

After giving a roll of his eyes, Natsume muttered a small "Hell," under his breath and slammed the door shut. Mikan blinked at least three times in disbelief. She pointed at the door and looked at the maid.

"That was all it took?" she asked Nonoko in amazement.

Nonoko simply nodded and chuckled. "Ah, the amazing method of using his mother against him. It's a wonder at the things that I can get him to do just by mentioning Karou-sama."

She tipped a finger to her chin.

"If only there were a magical way like in the fairy-tale where The Beast's dark nature could be tamed…" Her eyes flickered excitedly to Mikan and gasped, "Wouldn't that be something? For the two of you to actually share your true love's first kiss? And then-" she sighed dreamily to herself, "-to see Natsume-sama's cold hearted, beastly ways evolve into the handsomely compassionate prince charming that I know him to be… Ah! That would be like a distant dream come true! *Coughs* though I'd much rather love the shot at kissing him myself…"

A creeping blush reddened at Mikan's cheeks. At the one word for thought for: "kiss," her thoughts traced back to the awkward moment from five days ago. That one awkward moment where her head was spinning uncontrollably with the beat of her heart pummeling against her chest.

She touched her lips, recalling the soft, pulsing force of brushed lips and a tall, muscular leaned body towering over her.

_My…true love's first kiss? _she thought inwardly to herself. _There's no such thing…_

* * *

><p>Mikan stared boringly at the clock.<p>

Her eyes followed the hand as it paced back and forth.

She frowned at the present given time: 9:53pm.

It was already three hours past the appointed time that a certain raven haired model should've arrived home.

Her eyes flickered back to the clock once more as she lay on her bed. Unsatisfied with the hour, she decided to refocus her attention to the ceiling. She sighed solemnly to herself, repeating the few antsy kicks against the ridge of her bed.

Her fingers absentmindedly fiddled with the strings of her pink spaghetti top. Sparing another glance back at the clock she let out a boring sigh and lightly pounded her fist upon the cushion of her pillow.

"That stupid Natsume," she mumbled to herself. "He actually said six on the dot. I knew that it was too good to be true. That liar…" Giving into the small urge to sleep, she allowed her eyelids to slowly close, and then, suddenly…

_**Ccrreak! **_

Her ears perked up at the sound of the door opening and closing just downstairs.

Acting instinctively, she popped up from the bed almost like a dog hearing the appointed entrance of its master.

She paused for at least five seconds in silence before hearing what sounded like the rustling of footsteps. Feeling the rush of excitement, Mikan stumbled to her feet and bolted out the door for the stairs.

"He's here, he came back, he's here," she beamed in anticipation. She almost glided down the stairs, swiftly moving with grace as she ran. "Natsume!" she called excitedly. "Natsume, you're here! It's about time that you came back, I've been…"

Her footsteps ceased.

Mikan immediately came to a halt as she studied the person before her, who clearly, wasn't remotely similar to who she had been expecting.

Long silky-sheen black hair, long slender legs, and two femininely small wrists whose hands were clutched tightly while holding a couple bag of groceries. This obviously wasn't the expected Natsume Hyuuga…

"Mikan?" Nonoko asked, blinking twice in surprise.

Mikan's hazel orbs dissolved from excitement to disappointment. Her lips curved under to give a puppy dog pout to match with her shattered joy. "N-Nonoko? It's only you…"

"What are you still doing up?" Nonoko questioned her with an amused chuckle. She placed the grocery bags on the floor, brushing off her hands as she situated them on her waist. "Are you hungry, maybe? If that's the case then you're in for a real treat tonight because I'm fixing the lovely Nonoko Special: A Tour of Italy! In other words…we're having lasagna!" She added a light jump to her squealing excitement.

"He's not here…" Mikan muttered meekly to herself.

Nonoko heard her loud and clear. "Who's not here? What do you mean by…? **Oh**… Oh, I-I forgot about that." She twirled a finger nervously around her black tresses. "W-well…that is… Oh, I know!" She clasped both hands together, "Let's order take out instead, huh? That sounds a lot better than cooking up a boring meal of four-cheese lasagna. We need some real deal for Chinese cuisine, right? Here, I'll go call _Ming Wok _right now."

"Don't bother," the brunette begrudgingly replied. She stormed off towards the front door and called over her shoulder, "The hell with all of this! I'm not going to sit waiting around like a pet dog and hope for him to show his sorry butt up here. I've had it with him, I'm leaving!"

Nonoko gaped at her. "M-Mikan, what do you think you're doing? For your information young lady, it's way past nine o' clock and I don't think Natsume-sama would want you leaving this… Hey!"

She pointed accusingly, seeing that the brunette wasn't listening as she made her way for the front door.

"Now, you listen to me," Nonoko ordered in a motherly tone. "I don't know why you have to be so stubborn about this. You can't go out this late at night all by yourself. Where are you─?"

"He didn't come back!" Mikan yelled, resting her hand on the knob. "He's a creep… That stupid, beastly crap of a jerk didn't even bother to come back for me. He didn't own up to his promise!" She looked at the floor, pain evident within her eyes. "He's…still out on his date isn't he, Nonoko? He forgot about me on purpose…"

"…Mikan─"

Too late.

Being the stubborn woman that she was, Mikan Sakura closed out her ears, refusing the sense of reason. With one muttered curse under her breath, and three swift strides with the slamming sound coming from the closed door, she was gone.

**.**

"Come here," a husky voice whispered.

An attractive young man walked side by side with his beautiful companion as he helped her arise from out of her seat. Leaving a very generous tip on the table, he guided her towards the front exit of the restaurant, admiring her curves especially complimented by the sensually attractive dress.

She didn't bother putting up a fight, not that she minded in the least. Having a handsome man sticking to your arm was the desired dream for any woman. "Natsume," a sexy red-head giggled playfully, "stop it, silly. We're still in public you know."

Not seeming to mind the public-eye at all, the handsome celebrity model cupped a side to the woman's waist. "What does that have to do with us?"

Natsume pulled her to his chest, swallowing her mouth into a kiss and held her waist. Succumbed to his little fun, he caressed his sexy companion by her back and lightly pinned her against the restaurant wall. His face buried deep into the crook of her neck as she let out another playful laugh.

"You're more charming than I thought," she chuckled. "First a $2,000 worth of shopping for my own gain and next, a romantic dinner in one of the most luxurious of restaurants. I'm a pretty lucky woman tonight, aren't I?"

Natsume smirked into the folds of her skin. "You make it sound like I'm giving it to you for free, Veronica," he muttered blandly. "Don't think that I'm not expecting something in return. Naturally."

She laughed again, sighing a little as his mouth brushed against her soft skin. "Hmm, that's true in a way. But you know, Natsume baby…" She forced him to look at her, cupping his face within her palms. A flirtatious grin grazed her lips as she went in for a test tease. "I can't help but think that I'd be willing to give in so easily. I mean there are some… _minor _complications if you know what I mean. Like that woman that I saw back in Central, perhaps?"

Natsume kept his disenchanted expression as he quirked an eyebrow. "Woman?" he asked, confused.

"You know what I mean," Veronica giggled, nipping at his lips again. "That woman back in Central that I saw you with; the skinny little brunette. Remember? After all, you are _**the **_Natsume Hyuuga, famous model and young heir. You can get any girl that you lay your eyes on and it's no lie that you're the sexiest man alive. I can't say that I'm _not _jealous after seeing you with another woman beforehand." She traced a finger over his chest and grinned. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not the clingy type baby, but I do have a sense of pride when it comes to a man."

A flirtatious laugh escaped from her lips before pulling him in for a much longer kiss. She released him for a brief moment before going back in for the kill.

"Who was she? Tell me…" she whispered pleadingly, kissing him softly. "Who was that woman, Natsume baby?"

Veronica was clearly a pro in pure seduction. This woman had skill in getting what she wanted, that was for certain. She knew exactly how to use her feminine qualities to the extreme for her own gain.

Her charms would have definitely proven to be something admirable and would have probably won him over… But something like that would only happen to any other average man who hadn't been in the same field or hadn't had much experience like Natsume Hyuuga.

His hazed, ruby orbs lit up with lust then gradually grew distant. Using his chest to cover up the little space left between them, his stance went rigid as he rested one hand against the wall to cage her in. His lips thinned into a smirk. "How much?"

The red-head stared back at him with a bemused expression. "Wait… W-what?"

"How much?" Natsume repeated. He shoved his other free hand into his side-pocket and grinned knowingly. "How much did Reo pay you to scoop up some dirt off me?"

"W-what? That… You… I don't know what─"

"Don't bother wasting your breath," the model snorted. "Didn't think I would catch on? Didn't expect me to see through that little fake gig of yours? I bet that you like to pretend that you're just a tease."

His eyes roamed over her chest followed by a click of his tongue.

"Not too bad though. At least he chose an enticingly attractive one to play his little game. But I'm not stupid enough to believe that you wouldn't want something in return. In any case, he had you set up to try coaxing me into coughing up any information that I have regarding that woman. He must have been watching me back in Central that day…" He laughed sarcastically to himself. "Playing it safe while hiding out like the devil fox that he is… Ch. That's so like Reo…"

Veronica was literally…_dumbfounded. _Her lips quivered and then, her jaw tensed. "Y-you knew? This whole time? B-but how did… You…"

Natsume shrugged indifferently. "I've come across a lot of women like you, really. Like you said, I can get just about any woman that I lay my eyes on, so it's only natural that I'd have experience in this field. It's nothing new for me." He sighed. "So, now that the cat's been let out of the bag," he prompted boringly, running a finger through her red hair, "maybe now we can get back to the game of our own? If you look at it my way, I _**was**_ the one to have paid for your meal and all. The least you could do is show me your gratitude for all my hard work. Either that, or you can just help yourself to catching a taxi cab home, sweetheart."

Angered by his taunting smirk and harsh cold words, the red head's jaw dropped a dead low in defeat. Her nostrils flared like she had just been given a good slap in the face; like she had been beaten at her own game.

"W-why…you…!" Her words were tucked behind her tongue, unable to speak. There was no need to continue playing her role as the fool. She fumed out a small _"Humph!" _balling her fists as her heels clacked their way into a retreating departure.

The model watched in amusement as she took her leave. "So, that's how it is? Guess I'll have to head back to the mall and sell back that $2,000 shopping spree." He stretched out his arms, releasing a boring sigh. "Ah, this turned out to be a real waste. Now what am I supposed to do for fun…"

His thoughts were soon interrupted at the sudden vibration coming from his left pocket.

Hearing his ring-tone go off, Natsume whipped out his phone, thumbed the answer button on his touch-screen and nonchalantly answered, "Yeah, it's me."

"Natsume-sama?" a frantic voice asked through the line.

"Nonoko," the young model answered. "You never call me unless there's a good reason. What's wrong, is Mikan misbehaving again or something?

There was a brief pause. "Ah… Um… Not that she's _misbehaving_ or anything but, well…"

"Well, what? Hurry up and spit it out. What's wrong?"

"Y-yes sir… I just thought that you should know… Mikan isn't here at all, Natsume-sama. She's… gone missing. Or, at least I think she's gone─"

"What?" came Natsume's quick response. "What do you mean she's gone missing? Where is she?"

"I really don't know, sir," Nonoko answered worriedly. "I guess that she figured you had forgotten all about your promise. You know the one that I mean, right? The one about the bakery?"

She sighed through her end of the line.

"As soon as I came home she was waiting right at the end of the stairs, dressed up and ready to go and I gotta say, her face wasn't too pleased to see me walking coming in. One thing led to the next, and before I knew it she stormed right out the door, swearing under her breath as she took it upon herself to leave. I didn't even get a chance to stop her or ask where exactly it was that she had planned on going. I'm…quite worried, sir. It's very late and she's been gone for a long time now. Do you have any idea where she could be?"

Natsume could feel his body stiffen on edge. _Oh, hell_-were the two words that repeated through his mind like the press of a replay button.

He had forgotten all about his idle promise, something that he subconsciously labeled at the top of his list as being: Not Important. Now, it appeared that forgetting that one trivial thing was already starting to catch up to him.

He rubbed his temples and sighed out, "Yeah… I'm guessing."

"R-really?" Nonoko sounded hopeful. "That's such a relief, sir! So, you know where she is?"

"More or less," Natsume exhaled tiredly. "Just leave it to me. I'll…call you back"

"But─"

With the quick press of his thumb, Natsume ended the call while exhaling a groan. He let the palm of his hand slowly slide down the ridge of his nose in frustration. Once again, his feisty kitten for a brunette had managed to sink her claws into finding a way to break down his mental stability.

"Of all the damn times to do something stupid." He made a prompt move for walking as he signaled to the valet driver for his car. "I don't get a single break when she decides to act out. This woman just keeps putting a stop to my day."

**.**

**Ridgley Lane: Thirty Minutes Later…**

"Oh, no…"

Standing with both hands balled into fists, and her auburn brows furrowed into a disbelief frown, a brunette bristled while pouting both cheeks. She stood in front of her desired destination, eyes scouring repeatedly over a sign that read:

Ridgley Bakery

**Closed**

Sorry For the Inconvenience

"Great," Mikan groaned aloud. "They're closed for the night. Just my luck. I wait around all that time for that stupid jerk to get back and he never shows up. Then, I walk all around this damn street just to find this damn stupid bakery, and for what? They're closed!" She fumed out another groan, "What the heck am I supposed to do now, huh?"

"Having a tough night?"

_What the…?_

Mikan immediately flinched. Her shoulders scrunched up to her neck once she realized that she wasn't alone.

Turning her head in slow motion, she was surprised to find a disorderly looking man leaning just beside the brick wall of the bakery.

His hands were folded laxly over his dark, brown cargo jacket that added to his rugged appearance. His hair was a murky color of black and brown, and his dark eyes were hinted with ill-juvenile intentions.

He held back a small laugh at her nervous reaction. "Upset about the bakery being closed? Why don't you come with me, I know a place that's still open. It's just around the corner." He tried to coax her with the beckoning of his finger, "Come here, I'll show you around. It's not far."

"N-no thank you," Mikan refused him, taking two steps back. "I was j-just taking my leave anyway. I've got to get home, so… it's fine."

The man arched an eyebrow. "How far do you live? Come on, I'll walk you home." He leaned away from the wall, making a few big steps towards the nervous brunette. "It's pretty dark out tonight. And we can't have a pretty girl like you walking all alone by yourself," he gave a crooked grin, "now, can we?"

"No, thank you."

"I'm trying to help you out here, sweetheart," the man chuckled in a way that sent shivers down Mikan's spine. "You'd best try to stick with me, you know. There's a lot of sick people out in this side of town who would just _love _to have a little treat like you." His eyes roamed over her entire body as if enjoying the view.

"I _**said **_no thank you," Mikan growled in annoyance. "Now j-just go away and leave me alone already." She tried to retreat on the soles of her feet and with the turn of her back, but found that to be effortless.

"Not so fast, sweetheart."

One way or another the creepy guy came flying out of nowhere and instantly caught a hold to both her wrists. He gave a crooked grin as her brown pupils jumped out in fright.

Run. That was the one word for thought that her mind could only make out. Her legs didn't hesitate to take off, though they shook nervously with the much heart-pounding adrenaline.

No good.

Before she even had the time to bolt for the opposite direction, her assaulter had already seen through her act. His rough hands caught her by the arm without ease and forcefully held her in place.

"Hey now, don't be like that, sweetheart," he pretended to sound compassionate. "Come on now, it'll be fine. I ain't gonna hurt ya." His dark laughter rumbled from his chest, causing the woman to freeze right on the spot. "I just wanna play with you a little, that's all. I'll be gentle, I promise."

She whimpered in response to his firm grasp, closing her eyes as he laughed in amusement. Caressing her by the back, he pinned her roughly to the ground.

"I was thinking about breaking into that bakery, you know," he chuckled darkly. He released one hand, letting it roam over the brunette's chest, teasing at her spaghetti straps. "But, I'm glad that something else decided to catch my attention. A pretty girl and a pretty face makes things a lot more fun. I'm liking the view; I can tell you that much, sweetheart."

Mikan could feel her eyes starting to water as she closed them tight. The still pumping adrenaline was driving her crazy. She inwardly wished that this person would just disappear, inwardly prayed that no harm would come upon her…

Oh, how she longed for a certain knight with disheveled raven hair to come for her.

Though she hated the idea, she couldn't help but plead for his appearance. She bit her lip, mentally scolding herself for such wishful thinking.

_There's no way that he would come. Idiot… You know that he would never come._

By this time, the loud screeching coming from the skidded tires of a car could be heard.

The noise sounded somewhat dissonant to Mikan's ears, something that she wasn't entirely focused on, what with being forcefully pinned to the hard concrete ground by a lecherous creep.

The minor distance of footsteps gradually started to get louder and louder as they neared even closer, and then…

"Get off of her…"

Almost instinctively, the brunette's eyes snapped open faster than the speed of light. Her lips parted with a gasped shock.

Sharp, demanding, and fiercely authoritative. Mikan knew the sound of that voice all too well.

Still lying helplessly pinned to the ground, her amber eyes slowly traced up the sight of long constructed legs, a well-leaned torso, and a strongly physique, tensed jaw.

With both fists clenched tight while standing in the illuminating moonlight, a familiarly tall figure stumbled onto the scene. His red orbs were almost like the bursting flames of a relentless fire as his murderous aura flared with intentions to kill. Wasting no time, Natsume was immediately set off in defense mode as he flew straight for the perverted perpetrator.

He flung the man over on his side, punching the side of his face with two quick, swift jabs like a pro boxer. Taken aback by the sudden blows to his jaw, the man sat half-way up, leaning over on his forearm. He winced in pain as he snarled up at the one responsible.

Natsume allowed himself to stand just in front of the victim, having him become the sole aim for attention. "You full of crap bastard," he hissed out. "I **dare** you to try touching her again. Go on. Try me." His voice was coated maliciously deep with a ring of warning to it.

The criminal knew when to count his blessings.

His eyes flickered back from Natsume to the brunette as he rubbed his now swollen bruised face. Seeing the dark glint and malevolent hatred burning like a fire within Natsume's eyes, he flinched back in fear, admitting his defeat.

"Ch! She's not worth it," he waved his hand off admissibly in a way to make up for his cowardly act. Picking up himself from off of the ground, he grunted as he stood upright and bolted off towards the opposite end of the street.

Mikan watched the handsome man standing before her.

She couldn't believe it. He…was here. The man of whom she would have assumed to care nothing for her or dismiss her off easily like a discarded doll had _really_ come as her raven haired knight in shining armor.

Natsume's tongue clicked as he ran a hand through his hair. His crimson eyes flashed over to her direction. "You," he called to her expectantly. "Are you alright?"

Though he asked the question in a way as if he truly didn't care, Mikan couldn't help but feel gratitude towards her savior. "Y-yes," she nodded weakly, "I'm alright now... Thank─"

"You're pretty stupid, aren't you?"

"Eh?" Mikan blinked twice in response. "W-what did you─?"

Natsume turned his back, refusing to let her finish. "Really pathetic," he muttered under his breath. He shoved both hands into his pockets, mumbling to himself aloud as he walked off. "What kind of woman walks out in the middle of the night all on her own and gets herself assaulted so easily? Pretty pathetic. What a stupid airhead."

Wait a… What was with this guy? The brunette pouted her cheeks as if suddenly being slapped in the face. A million questions set off throughout her mind as she watched the cocky model brisk his way back to his sports car parked just beside the curb.

Natsume ruffled his raven hair with a sour scowl. "What is it with you, woman? Do you enjoy adding more mischief into my life? Huh? I don't know what made you think that you could just take it upon yourself to go off on your own like that."

Mikan flinched a little, forcing a scowl of her own. "That's not my name and you know that, Natsume," she retorted. She found the will to stand up, situating her pink top with a small grunt. "And I don't have to tell you anything. Not to someone who most likely probably decided to knock up some easy squeeze for a date while forgetting all about his _**promise **_that he had made earlier. It's none of your business!"

"Why, you little…" Natsume bit back his tongue. He gave a small wave with the back of his hand as he used his keys to unlock the car-door. His head snapped up to the brunette as he instructed with a snap of his fingers, "You. Get in the car."

Naturally, Mikan found herself unwilling to comply. "I don't have to do what you say. Why are you always trying to─"

"Get," the model finger-pointed, "In. The. Car. _Now!_" He wasn't about to take no for an answer.

_What…the hell is his problem? _Mikan thought to herself.

One minute he comes flying in as the heroic Superman, and the next, he's flying off the wall like some dominating dictator who can't tolerate any other demands but his own. She felt the heat rising within her chest at his abrasive tone, but nonetheless, hesitantly made her way towards the car.

**.**

It was quiet… Too quiet.

A huge amount of silence engulfed the car bringing in nothing but the tense air. Only the droning sound coming from the drumming engine could be heard.

Mikan sat still in the passenger's side as she fiddled with the straps of her spaghetti top. She would pause every few seconds, only to take a sneak peak at a certain raven haired man who by now had a dark aura that was growing sinister by the minute.

He was mad, she could tell it easily.

His eyes were burning with an unruly sense of frustration as he focused on the road ahead of him. His masculine jaw appeared to be slightly tensed as he repeated the attempt in chewing the inside of his cheek.

"Natsume?" Mikan tested out his name in dissonance. "What's wrong?"

Nothing.

After five seconds of silent staring, she rubbed the ridge of her nose and shifted her attention out the window.

It took her a good moment before she realized that their appointed destination wasn't anything familiarly similar. Apparently the driver had decided to take a different route this time; one that led to a dirt road, curving all the way up into what seemed like a steep hill.

"Hey, Natsume? Where are we going?"

No answer.

Instead, the fuel of the ignition flared loudly as he pressed on the pedal then next, swiveled the car maddeningly around the corner, racing with the wind. With her heart beating fast against her chest, the brunette yelped at the sudden speed and clutched the cushion of her seat.

Natsume slammed onto the breaks as the tires skidded gradually to come to a screeching stop. He wasted no time undoing his seatbelt then swiftly bolted out the car-door before slamming it shut.

Mikan only watched him take his leave as he situated himself on the spot of a bench. She sighed once she saw him commit his normal routine for flipping out a lighter and cig.

_He's trying to calm himself down,_ she concluded to herself.

She exhaled smoothly, hoping to boost her confidence as she dared herself to step out of the car. Her hesitant footsteps brought her closer and closer, little by little towards the aggravated young man. Her lip was overlapped by her two front teeth as she pondered on whether or not talking to him...was such a good idea. Two fingers played at the loop of her jeans, buying her some time on the words to come.

"Natsume… What's wrong, huh? Did I do something this time?"

"I don't want to talk to you. You're annoying. Don't bother me."

She pouted her cheeks at his blunt words. Three short, crisp sentences were all that it took for him to hurt her feelings? That fast?

"Are you upset about what happened to me tonight? Is that it?" At the subtle hint of seeing him flinch Mikan quickly added, "Nothing happened to me you know. I'm perfectly fine. The main thing with you, is that you're always quick to act so proud by hiding away your true thoughts. That's the one thing about you that drives me insane. I can't read anything by small expressions alone, you know. You… If you were worried about me, all you had to do was say so."

A silent swig of exhaled cigarette smoke was her only answer.

"Well, I don't know what you're acting so upset for," Mikan waved both her hands with an expensed sigh. "Seriously, it's like I can't even read you. Do you know how hard it is for me try to understand a brick wall like yourself? You never open up to me about anything. It's like you just want me as your trophy prize; I'm always being told what I need to do or how I need to do it. I eat and I sleep, I bathe (when you act like a prick and tell me that I stink), and then, I work my butt off just so I can gain one step closer into becoming a real modernized…freakin' woman. It's annoying!"

Natsume exhaled another breathless fume of smoke once more, ignoring the idle chatter. His eyes pretended to focus on the outdoor view and starry night sky.

Mikan clicked her tongue in frustration at his _"I'm being an ass for the night,"_ display.

"And another thing, stop smoking that stupid cigarette already!" Feeling fed up enough; she had the nerve to smack the _"stupid cigarette"_ out from his hand. "I'm sick of seeing you sucking up those cancer filled sticks all the time! My mother died easily from smoking up her lungs with those things."

No words were said as the model calculated what had just happened.

He sat quiet still. His eyes stared blankly at his two V-shaped fingers where the cigarette had presently been placed. At that moment, Natsume concluded that this woman just had to be the most daring little twit that he had ever met. She… actually had the _guts_ to slap _his_ cigarette right from out of _his_ own hand.

"You," he commanded with his index finger, "Come here."

Mikan squinted her eyes and gawked at him. "Who in the world do you think…? Y-you're not the boss of me, I don't have to─"

"I said… come _**here.**_"

She tensed a little at his sinisterly calm tone. Gulping once, she took one small step forward, then next, three more. She nearly tip-toed her way to him until she was finally face to face with his disenchanted expression.

His stoic crimson orbs simply stared at her. "What's the meaning of obedience?" he suddenly asked her.

The poor thing didn't get a chance to answer.

All in less than three seconds, Mikan arched a brow, gasped at the sudden impact of the hard grip on her wrist, and then, found her stomach faced down-overlapped right over Natsume's knees. He used one hand to firmly hold her in place.

Natsume lifted his other free hand, ready for aim. "Obedience: The practice of following instructions." He steadied his palm before landing a few hard spanks to the woman's vulnerable behind. "Spelled: O. *smack!* B. *smack!* E. *smack!* D. *smack!* I. *smack!*─"

Mikan squirmed in desperation and once realizing that her effort was futile she cried out in frustration, tears nearly forming at the corners of her hazel orbs. She gasped. She squealed. Her eyes widened at the sudden impact and force given punishment.

This man was…insane. He was completely insane! Here she was, a grown woman, lying almost like that of a child over the lap of another adult. How embarrassingly **wrong** could this get?

"─E. *smack!* N. *smack!* C. *smack!* E. *smack!*"

After finishing his fatherly pops to the bottom, Natsume released the brunette, holding her upright by the arm. His eyes seized her own, holding them in place.

"Don't," he started, "ever try to act out on your own again and have the guts to talk back to me like you know so much. Who the hell gave you permission for you to leave all by yourself and almost end up getting hurt? You always end up getting yourself into trouble, don't you get that yet?"

He focused on her teary brown eyes that were engulfed with an infuriating hatred dissolved behind a mass of hurt. It was like staring back into the eyes of a disciplined child.

Natsume somewhat regretted his cruel punishment but easily brushed off any hint of remorse with a quick spoken, "Get back in the car. We're going home…"

His force released the firm grip to her wrist as she stumbled backwards. She choked back a few tears and an on-coming runny nose. Holding back a relentless storm of sailor-mouth swearing, the brunette grunted with a tensed jaw and tightly clenched teeth.

She held back the many saltwater tears that silently fell and quietly retreated back to the car with a few soothing rubs to her now bruised back bottom. She seethed under her breath, taking out her anger by kicking the many pebbles among the dirt road.

One exasperated breath of hatred concluded all that she needed to know about the hotheaded young heir.

It didn't matter how many words that he could use to calm her, it didn't matter what kind of charms as a gentleman he could use against her… It didn't even matter how soft his lips were after stealing her first real kiss. One thing was official.

Natsume Hyuuga was indeed a cold-hearted demon.

**.**

Was Natsume so cruel in this chap? Lol, hellll yeah, he was horrible^^

But love isn't so magical like in those Disney fairy-tales.

I don't want to make such an obvious couple fall in love so easily. I'm going to have fun making Natsume (being the narcissist prince that he is), have complications with his heart of stone. ;)

Well, I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading~


	16. Her Prejudice

**Disclaimer: **Nope.

**.**

E.D.- "I don't care how you treat me. I don't mind your swearing at me.

I shouldn't mind a black eye; I've had one before this. But I won't be passed over!"

**-Eliza Doolittle. My Fair Lady (1964)**

**Chapter 16: Her Prejudice**

**.**

**November 5, 12:30pm…**

_**Ding!**_

With the sounding chime of the bell, the elevator doors opened way for a young woman fashionably dressed in the professional appearance of Versace®.

She wasted no time in letting herself out, immediately setting her sights ahead for her appointed destination. Her carmine pink hair flowed gracefully with her quick, elegant pace.

_**Clack. Clack. Clack.**_

Her black heels treaded across the tile floor of the hallway with her long strides.

She held her head high, confident and strong like a proud lioness with exceptional prowess. Posture dignifiedly tall, shoulders femininely broad and well poised, eyes piercing with wisdom and determination. Every leadership quality was beaming with an unyielding confidence to match with her captivating aura. Her beauty was also an awe-inspiring trait to be admired. She had the brains, skill, and a pretty face to outclass any woman in comparison.

"Good afternoon, Miss Harada. It's nice to see you again."

"Welcome back, Miss Harada. I hope you had a nice trip while you were away."

She nodded respectfully to each of her employees, beaming an angelic smile in gratitude. "Yes, thank you. It's nice to see all of you again as well. I'm honored." Keeping another smile plastered to her face, she made her way through the double-glass doors of the hallway.

Seeing that her boss had arrived, a young woman with silver hair wrapped tightly into a bun arose from her situated desk. Her purple pupils glistened in anticipation alongside a sense of formality.

"Good morning, Miss Harada," the receptionist greeted casually walking just beside her boss.

Nodding her head accordingly, the pink-haired woman kept both eyes straight ahead as she held out her hand in expectance. Giving a professional nod of her own, the receptionist handed her a clipboard with a tilt of her glasses. She followed her boss into her office, stopping short just in front of her desk as the woman situated herself in her seat.

"Well then, Yura," Miss Harada started while giving a good few spins in her favorite rolling chair, "have all the preparations been made in my absence?"

"All the meetings have been properly scheduled just as you had required, Miss Harada."

Stretching out her arms with a small yawn, the woman nodded again. "Nicely done, Yura, that's good to hear. That makes there less work for me to do." She looked back to her receptionist. "So, is he here yet?"

"Yes, ma'am. He actually made his way in not too long before you happened to arrive. I had him wait for you in the near lobby."

Miss Harada smiled to herself and laughed, "Wonderful. He's great with time. As of expected of that little twerp." She snapped her fingers towards the door, "Alright, then. Go ahead and send him in."

"Yes ma'am," Yura nodded. "I'll send him in right away."

"Oh, hold on just a minute, Yura," the pink-haired woman signaled with a coax of her palm, "I've got one more thing to ask you." She fixated her eyes to her nails as if she were inspecting them. "Is there… That is, have… you found out anything about _her_, yet? Anything at all?"

The receptionist shook her head. "No, I'm afraid not, ma'am. We've been trying to locate her whereabouts like you've requested. Despite all of our efforts, I'm afraid that we still haven't come across much luck in finding her."

"O-oh, I see… Alright, then," the young woman waved off her receptionist while spinning in her chair a little more, "let's have our guest sent in and get this over and done with."

"Yes, Miss Harada," Yura nodded respectfully. She gave a courteous bow before taking her leave.

Tapping her fingers on the base of her desk, Miss Harada gave one last spin to her chair. Almost caught in a daze, her dark pink pupils stared blankly at the door for a good two minutes. She sighed aloud, running a finger through her pink tresses as she reached in her drawer to pull out a small picture enclosed within a wooden frame.

It was an old photo, where the small stains from smudges of cola could be seen. An old nostalgic memory for a photo that brought back the good times of her childhood.

A girl with short, boy-cropped pink hair stood side by side and hand in hand with a little brunette whose hair came in the childish style of pigtails. The brunette appeared to be the younger of the two, cheeks highly lightened in bliss as she flashed a beaming smile as if she had just hit the jackpot in a candy store.

Eyes still scouring over the photo, the woman repeated the few light traces of her thumb over the brunette's face. "I'll be leaving for good really soon. Life has been one hell of a road, but even so… Everything seems to be working out for me. So, what about you?" She smiled solemnly to herself. "Mikan… Where are you?"

Suddenly, a few hard knocks came at the door, interrupting her from her thoughts.

She quickly regained her composure, immediately shoving the photo back into her drawer. She propped her legs on top of her desk as she placed her chin underneath her knuckles. Giving a small chest cough, she announced casually, "Come on in."

A small creak came about as the knob slowly twisted open.

Appearing at the door, the handsome guest made his arrival. His raven hair was just as messy as ever. He was dressed in a pair of dark blue jeans, and a red, Cellar Mountain Muscle tee, overlapped by a black leather jacket. He pocketed one hand as he leaned against the door.

His crimson eyes were stoic, giving off a nonchalant facade as he stared at the woman seated before him. "Back from your little get-away adventure already, Misaki?" he asked, almost bored.

Misaki snorted a little under her breath as she studied the model from the bottom up.

"Still the same little cocky and arrogant brat that likes to be seen, eh? Not too bad, Hyuuga. I'm glad that you came out of that lame '90s fetish and replaced it with something _worth_ seeing." She flipped her pink bangs away from her face and said, "But to answer your question, yes; I had a wonderful time while I was away on vacation. Although it was a good break, I can't say that it was easy to escape all the hard work."

Natsume shrugged his shoulders indifferently as he let himself in. "It happens," he replied uncaringly. "When you're in a top position in the business area, you can't help it if things start to fly south.

"You sound like your mother," Misaki snickered. "I hate having to witness cynical snobs boast as they climb their way up to the top of the food chain. However," she clicked her tongue, "unlike your mother, you don't have much sympathy towards others when it comes to getting what you want. All business and no feelings. I guess that's to be expected of the new young heir."

"Top of the food chain?" Natsume repeated her words with an arch of his brow. He pretended to muse in thought before giving a tongue-click of his own. "Oh, are you referring to the situation of me taking over your business firms for Hyuuga Hotels?"

"Don't you try to sound so simplistic about it, twerp," Misaki snorted, creasing her brows. "You and that smug ass little attitude of yours with extra added sarcasm... I've always hated that about you." She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "And yes, that's exactly what I mean. Not a day went by where I wasn't constantly reminded with an imprinted document especially sent by the _Hyuuga Company _over the arranged agreement. You Hyuuga's are really persistent when it comes to big business."

"So, you mean to say that you've come to a decision?"

"That decision had already been made months ago, just so you know," Misaki replied casually. "We made a deal, remember? Don't worry Mr. Hyuuga; I won't go back on my word. We're friends after all. You'll have this hotel especially assigned under your name as well as the other two that are currently under my control. And with that out of the way, I'll happily take my share by retreating for the states."

Natsume gave a small yawn. "Well, it's nothing that I wasn't expecting any time soon," he said plainly. "I'm just glad that we could have all this cleared away just in time before my inauguration. I need the finished documents by today to release Karou's nagging. Knowing my mother, she's going to want everything set in order for the sake of the Hyuuga name."

"That's coming in the beginning of early March, isn't it?" Misaki asked him. "Well now, your mother should be so proud. Her only son is finally discarding his role as a ladies man and taking up the full responsibility as a young heir." She snorted, "Guess having a pretty boy face wasn't just for show after all, eh, Hyuuga?"

Natsume responded with another shrug. "Speaking of pretty boy faces," he started, while finger tapping a plastic vase, "there's a certain someone who's been wondering about you." He ran his finger over the surface with a sigh. "Andou has his sights set on you, if it wasn't already obvious. He's been annoying the hell out of me through text messages. The next meeting at Club Alice is coming up in three days, and he wanted me to find out if you planned on showing your face."

The pink haired woman pretended to hold back a laugh. "Ah, was he now?"

"He's persistent," Natsume shrugged indifferently. He fixed his stoic gaze back to Misaki. "So, are you going to be a no show or what?"

She laughed mockingly, spinning a good twist to her rolling chair before cupping her chin within her palms. "Well, you can break the ice to him for me. I don't plan on showing up at the next meeting, especially if it means that I have to hear constant boasting coming from a guy who only likes to look at himself in the mirror. Besides, those kinds of club 'interactions' do nothing but bore me to death anyway…"

"You're as cold as Imai," Natsume grinned. "So, you plan on ditching him in the end?"

Misaki arched a brow, "That's pretty rich, coming from a cold heartbreaker like you, Hyuuga. And last time I checked, Tsubasa and I were never an item from the get-go." She gestured her head towards another desk stacked with a vase of roses and other items. "See those? Pink roses, a box of chocolate truffles, and a little card attached with a sappy poem, especially dowsed with Armani cologne."

The young heir squinted his eyes in disgust at the lame gesture. He titled his head back to the pink-haired woman and sneered. "…His way of affection?"

"It's his _style_," Misaki answered, scrunching her nose at the word. "Somehow or another Tsubasa's endearing gifts never seem to faze me much, though it's annoying. I've suddenly become accustomed to this sort of thing. I wouldn't even be surprised to see another vase of roses awaiting me back home at my condo."

"Maybe it's _because_ you ignore his gifts, that he's so hard headed and determined," Natsume plainly retorted. "To put it straight, Andou likes a challenge. If he sees something worth a fight, he'll put up with it until he's bored. And I guess… you can say the same about me. That is, if I find anything worthy in a woman that I might not get tired of…"

"…And this is why I hate dating pretty boys and their money."

The hot model flashed a taunting grin. "Tired of me already?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Misaki tipped a finger to her chin. "Oh, and by the way, I was wondering about something that I heard through the grapevine. There's been a lot of talk about you lately being seen with a woman. Not that it's something that I haven't heard before, but I hear that you've been hitting it off with her for quite a while."

Natsume cocked his head to the side. "Hitting it off with a woman?"

"Well, I asked Ruka about it and he just started cackling up like he had been knocked up by too much laughing gas." Misaki chuckled lightly. "The only thing that he did tell me, however, was the fact that you and him were playing some little… game, if you can call it that? Something about a woman staying with you for at least six months but he didn't give me much depth for details." She eyed the young heir skeptically. "So, I'm assuming it's… true?"

"Who knows?" Natsume droned apathetically. "As far as relationships go, me and that little girl are anything but an item, I can tell you that much. But, I won't deny the fact that she does happen to play a special part by helping me win my little game against Ruka."

Misaki couldn't believe such imprudence. "…Pretty good at playing the crook, aren't you Hyuuga? I can't believe that you and Ruka are actually using this woman for your own personal gain, even though I have no idea what that is exactly. Always playing around with a woman's feelings like that…" Her eyes narrowed. "What are you playing at?"

"Not that it should be any of your business," the model yawned, pretending to sound disinterested, "but I think it's more fun to leave you in the dark for a little longer. This way, it makes things seem a bit more interesting. So, in the end, I guess you'll have to wait until the six months are up to see what I mean. Oh say, about the time of my inauguration? Call it a little surprise for kicks."

"Hyuuga… You─"

"Am making my exit right now," Natsume finished, heading for the door. "It won't be long until it's time for me to go and get the little pest anyway, so I'll go ahead and leave you about your business, Misaki. By the way, how do I expect to get those finished documents for our agreement?"

She rolled her eyes and sighed, "Yeah, yeah, I didn't forget. I'm taking off early today once I get some papers signed and what not. Come by my condo around, let's say… 2:45pm to get them. You remember the address, don't you?"

Natsume nodded accordingly, "Two hours it is. Got it."

**.**

He sat idly by upon a loveseat, legs crossed comfortably with his chin placed over his knuckles and his elbow propped upon the armchair. It took just about every ounce of willpower for him to refrain from laughing as he tried to hold himself together by looking lax.

His blue pupils blazed amusingly at the raven haired woman before him as she busied herself with fitting measurements for a brunette, threatening her if she dared to move again.

Ruka let a small grin thin at his lips. She was confidently bold and unyielding in getting what she wanted. Then again, this was to be expected of the woman that he had fallen head over heels for.

"I told you to hold still," Hotaru commanded authoritatively, with a pin closed in between gritted teeth.

The poor little brunette winced in response to another needle pricking at her side. "It hurts, it hurts, I said!"

"Keep testing me, Mikan," the prideful Imai warned her. "Keep pushing my buttons, and I'll be pushing more of these pins into your skin. Now, hold still."

Mikan twitched but made an effort to hold herself together. Her fists curled into balls with her two front teeth overlapping her lip.

"There, now. That's not so bad." Hotaru stepped back to admire her half-finished piece of work. The sheen, violet silk was a perfect fit for her little mannequin. "A couple of touches here and there, and it should look just fine. You should be grateful for my help in making you a cocktail dress." She smiled to herself while touching up the hem. "I want to test out some things with this dress. That includes seeing my cousin's priceless face once he catches a glimpse at how stunning you look."

Mikan tensed, instantly reminiscing about her little episode involving an acrimoniously hardhearted young heir and ruthless pops to the bottom.

Just thinking about his barbaric actions was enough to make her blood boil. What would a coldhearted demon like him care how a 'street rat' like her looked like anyway?

"I… don't want to show him how I look. I don't want him to see me." She drifted her eyes off to the side, allowing her bitter hatred to eat at her on the inside. "He doesn't care how I look. He never cares…"

Hotaru stopped what she was doing. Her stoic purple eyes locked on with the color of brown. "There's no way that I'll allow you to try out this dress if you're going to look like that," she said, tipping Mikan's chin to look at her fully. "My piece of art is going to look like a piece of crap if you keep it up with that sulking." She pulled at Mikan's cheeks, "Shape up that face, idiot."

Mikan winced from the hard pinch. "O-ouch! You don't gotta go and do all that dang pulling, Hotaru."

"Come again?" Hotaru questioned, raising a brow at the brunette's poor choice of words. "This idiot has the guts to use poor vocabulary in front of me? After all that I've been teaching her?" She pulled at her cheeks again, "No Como dialect allowed. Fix your mouth. Right now."

"A-ah! Okay, okay," Mikan whined in compliance. "I'll stop, I'll stop. Please, let go now."

Hotaru complied shaking her head. "You have to get your act together. Three days from now you are going to be standing in the presence with the high socialites of the elite. I want to make sure that my efforts don't go to waste; you have to impress them, Mikan." Her eyes studied Mikan's face. "Are you still upset about what Hyuuga did to you?"

The light flinch from Mikan's shoulders said it all. Her lower lip somewhat pouted as she simply crossed both arms, allowing her petulance for a childish five-year old to do the talking for her.

"Seriously, Ruka," Hotaru sighed, flashing her gaze over at the amused blonde. "Do something about your best friend, will you? Talk some sense into him at least. Because of him, I can't get this girl's head to work with me. It's your fault."

"What am I supposed to do about it?" he shrugged, holding back a small laugh.

"Aren't you his best friend? I'm sure you can offer him some constructive criticism about his heart of stone. Keep him going like that and he's bound to lose fandom."

Ruka simply shook his head as if the thought were in vain. "It's not like he'll listen to me, anyway. He's always had a mind of his own. You're his cousin, Hotaru; you should know him better than I do." He flashed a grin to Mikan, "But even if he doesn't say anything, I think that the dress will look great on you, Miss Sakura. I can't wait to see what it looks like at Club Alice."

Mikan blinked back an unaffected stare and looked away, ignoring his attempt in trying to lighten the mood. She sighed, "Hotaru… C-can I ask a dumb question?"

"Better than anyone I know," Hotaru replied nonchalant. She fixated her purple irises to the brunette, "Shoot."

"Does… Does Natsume… hate me?" Mikan felt embarrassed as the words escaped her lips. She held back a blush and added, "Does he like me?"

Hotaru raised and lowered a brow as she added another pin to the hem. "I wouldn't say that he likes you…" She smiled in response to Mikan biting her lip. "But he does like tolerating you… a lot."

The brunette stared at Hotaru and blinked. "E-eh? What's that supposed to mean?"

Hotaru shrugged and snorted, "If there's one thing that you must know about my stupid cousin, Mikan, then it's the fact that he's stubborn, uncooperative, and likes to have his way just about any damn time that follows the Hyuuga schedule. He hates dealing with the unnecessary, but with you, it might be a different story."

Arising from her position, she removed the unfinished dress from the brunette and retreated for the opposite hall.

"Ruka" she called over her shoulder, "why don't you explain the rest? I'm going to go get some more pins."

Ruka situated himself upright in his seat and nodded. He grinned, musing for words. "Miss Sakura, one thing that you need to know about Natsume is that… Well, he isn't one for emotions. It's hard to read him. He doesn't like to show any weakness or feelings for that matter. His only responses to questions are small grunts, a roll of his eyes, and if some unlucky guy happens to catch him off guard without him having a good swig from his cig, then it might be a good punch to the face… Mindless swearing intended." He shrugged, "But overall, he's a pretty good guy. The ladies all love him, thanks to the bad boy persona and his charm."

Mikan nodded with one brow arched and a small "Hn," as if already having had experience. "That's nothing new. I know that he's not very patient and has a bad temper… So, why the hell─" she paused for words after two chest coughs from Ruka, "─Ah, I mean… Why in the world does he bother to put up with me? Does he just _like _hating me? "

"It's not that he hates, you," Ruka replied. "Natsume isn't… Believe it or not, Miss Sakura, his feelings for emotions have just started to come in. You introduced him to feeling anything at all. Haven't you noticed how protective he is of you, or how he worries over you without trying to show it?"

Mikan challenged his words, "You call giving me a spanking an affectionate sign of protection?"

"He's like a kid, wanting to take ownership in whatever he deems that is his," Ruka chuckled. "As much as I find this hard to believe… you're actually… really, something that he doesn't want to lose."

Something that he doesn't want to lose… Those words should be enough to believe, considering that Ruka was Natsume's best friend. Still, if claiming 'ownership' meant breaking promises, being demandingly rash, and giving out spankings, then that definitely was no excuse.

She looked away, refusing to accept that hopeful fact. "He's the worst thing imaginable known to man…"

And for her disheartened frame of mind, that one fact couldn't be far from the truth. Though handsome and charmingly conniving Natsume may be, she hated being treated so cruelly. Living under the same roof with a hotheaded young heir who only cares about himself was starting to become too much. She needed to get away, even if for just a moment.

Her thoughts fleeted her as she absentmindedly fiddled inside the ridge of her side pocket. "I want to get away from here…" she murmured sullenly, when it was then that her thumb crunched against something.

Raising both brows in skepticism, Mikan fished out what appeared to be a letter now crumpled into a small distorted wad.

After smoothing out the edges, she concluded that it was the same letter written from Misaki. The very same letter that she had received from her father not too long ago.

Her eyes traced over the given address at the top left-hand corner and gasped once coming into remembrance. "Misaki…" her voice trailed off, doused with regret and longing.

Her heart felt as if it were sinking to the bottom pit of an abyss. It had been far too long since she had last seen her sister and it was somehow beginning to eat at her on the inside. Then, suddenly, an idea popped right on the spot.

"There is a way after all," she whispered to herself.

"What's that you've got there, Miss Sakura?" Ruka suddenly asked her.

"It's n-nothing," Mikan played off, shoving the letter back into her pocket. "I've just remembered… There's somewhere that I want to go. Ruka, would you mind giving me money for a taxi, please?"

"Taxi?" Ruka blinked back, aloof. "Why would you need one? What for?"

Quick. She had to think up a good excuse very quick.

She stalled for words for a brief second and casually answered, "Tobita Le Gateau. I'd like to go there and get some chocolates if that's okay. It's a little far from here, so I need money for a taxi cab."

"Tobita le Gateau, huh? That's quite a drive from here, and I really don't think now is the best time to go, but… Well, I don't see what harm it could do you." Pulling out his wallet, Ruka walked over to Mikan and handed her a generous amount. "But you have to make it quick, alright? I don't know when Natsume plans on coming back to get you and it's important that you and Hotaru finish the fitting for your dress."

_Like that will ever happen, _Mikan thought to herself, rolling her eyes.

Her goal was set on getting the hell out of her shackled chains for good. It was time to put an end to this stupid game.

No more being told what to do or how to do it, no more being forced in taking unwanted showers while having a slipper thrown at the back of your head, and _definitely _no more Natsume.

She faked a small smile and skipped her way to the door, "Thanks so much, Ruka. I really appreciate it more than you will ever know."

Ruka only nodded and being the kind gentleman that he was, obliged in helping the little brunette to the front door, holding it open with a smile. "Well, then," he pocketed one hand and cocked his head towards the door, "don't venture off for too long. We don't want Natsume and Hotaru to get worried about you going missing or something." He chuckled with a light shrug, "Though I'm only joking about that last part. Come back safely, okay? Thirty minutes or less."

Mikan nodded, holding back a small snort at the handsome blonde's naïveté and gullible sense of nature. "No problem, chef," she saluted him, flashing an angelic smile along with a wave. "I promise to return on time. Thirty minutes."

**Two hours later…**

Two pair of cross looking eyes were focused on one particular blonde.

A certain raven haired model stood with both arms crossed over his chest, leaning casually against the side of the wall.

Stalling a little more with the silent treatment he pretended to be infatuated with his pair of car keys as he swung it around the tip of his index finger. His crimson red eyes slowly trailed to his blonde haired best friend, nearly boring holes with his lukewarm expression.

Natsume's eyes seized Ruka's before the young chef flinched and decided to look away. "So… you're saying that she just─" he paused fleetingly for a good second on the word, "…left?"

Ruka fiddled his fingers nervously. "It's not… really like that," he replied, faking out a cough. "I mean, she did leave on her own but I kind of gave her the permission… to leave."

"More or less, our bunny boy chef gave her a free ticket out," Hotaru said bluntly. She gave a small sneer at Ruka. "The woman schemes you out for a couple of bucks, takes off in a cab, and we have yet to know where she's run off to. We're stuck in this situation only because you decided to play the card for sympathy. Come on Nogi, you should've known better than to be so gullible with Mikan. She's a former resident from Como for crying out─"

"I wasn't being gullible," Ruka defended. "She wasn't feeling productive enough today, so I thought that a little trip to the bakery would boost her energy up a bit. If there's anyone to blame, you can put it on his tab." He pointed to Natsume. "After all, Miss Sakura only decided to leave due to his reckless actions."

Appearing to be indifferent, Natsume drawled out, "So you think that it's my fault for the street rat wanting to take off on her own?"

"You hit the jackpot my friend," Ruka grinned, once noticing Hotaru's narrowed glare switching to the raven haired model. Oh, how he loved turning the tables on his friend in situations like these. "Just so you know, Miss Sakura was feeling a little blue the whole time that she was here. Anytime that your name was mentioned she couldn't help but go rigid and swear under her breath."

Natsume kept his face guarded, not at all fazed by taking the blame. He gave a small nod and tongue-clicked, "Hm." After removing himself away from the wall he muttered, "So, it's all come down to this… Well, then," he flung his car keys in the air before catching them in his palm, "this was a complete waste of my time for some meaningless crap of bull. I'm out of here."

"N-Natsume, where are you going?" Ruka asked him. "Did you not understand the situation at all? Miss Sakura has gone missing."

"He's right, you know," Hotaru added plainly. "You can't just leave when you have responsibilities, Hyuuga."

Natsume shrugged, "Look, if that damn woman wants to take off and play hooky like the fool that she is, then that's not my problem. People like her only add on to the list for meaningless bull crap. I'm not wasting my time with her damn foolish mind games."

"That right?" Hotaru challenged. "Well you sure seem to enjoy "wasting" your time on acting like the damn girl's father. You're so high-strung, do you know that? Own up to your mistakes and go find the girl already. You didn't have the right to act like an ass then, and you don't have the right to do so now."

"I've got business matters to attend to. I'm heading on over to Harada's place to pick up some paperwork. Finding Mikan will have to come later." Natsume ignored the simple reasoning and sighed, "There are more important things to worry about other than _that _woman…"

"So, you're planning to tuck tail and run away from this?"

Natsume paid no mind or attention. His only response was a muttered curse of breath along with a roll of his eyes as he made a swift escape for the front door, slamming it shut as he took his leave. This was nothing new…

Ruka turned to grin at Hotaru. "...He's worried about her, isn't he?"

Hotaru rolled her eyes. "Isn't it obvious? There were fervent creases placed within his forehead; he practically looked like an old man wearing a skittish face like that." She sighed and shook her head. "Both of them are so stubborn. It's his pride versus her prejudice. They're both idiots…"

* * *

><p>"Ah! Nothing feels better than having a good shower after a short day of work."<p>

Misaki Harada gave a swift whip to her hair, shaking away the few remaining wet droplets from her ends. She whistled a light tune to herself while flinging a towel around her shoulders and came to stand at her window to catch a good glimpse at the outdoor balcony.

"It's really beautiful in Japan on days like these," she smiled, content.

She gave another tussle at her wet, pink hair before her eyes caught sight of a tall vase especially provided with pink roses and an endearing box of chocolate truffles. Her eyes rolled as she read the card, attached with another expected sappy poem.

She shook her head, snickering at the overdue romanticism, "When will that Andou ever stop?"

Her shoulders shrugged together as she flipped her towel to the floor and plopped a good landing to her queen-sized bed.

Sprawling out her body she sighed, "Guess I should go ahead and get this document set up for Hyuuga upon his arrival. Knowing that brat, he'll be here earlier than expected."

Her eyes studied the ceiling, spacing out into a distant blank stare as she exhaled slowly.

"It won't be long now, Misaki. You'll be leaving Japan for a good while from here on out to start anew." She tipped a finger to her chin, "Maybe I should give my crazy old man a call…" Her brows creased together as she scrunched her nose, pondering over that for a good moment. "On second thought… I could hold out for another two years or so."

_**Thump. Thump. Thump.**_

A few hard knocks came from her door.

Misaki blinked in surprise, "Eh? Is it time for him to come already?" She groaned sourly, forcing herself upright from her bed. "Ah, that's just great. Now I have to answer the door while wearing my robe. Damn the Hyuuga's and their bad habits for prime time."

_**Thump. Thump. Thump.**_

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming," Misaki called, "Hold up a second, will you?" Rolling her eyes, she shifted the lock and opened the door. "I thought I told you to come in…"

She cut herself off, eyes studying the bottom up of a brunette whose short figured appearance and skinny legs looked nothing remotely similar to that of a model. The face, however, was nostalgic enough to bring about a hint of recognition.

The brunette stood frozen still, unsure as how to act. Her honey glazed, brown eyes skimmed over the beautiful woman before her in awe. Could this truly be her half-sister? She somewhat tensed, feeling a little insecure as her lips stuttered out unsuccessfully, "M-Misaki… Harada?"

Looking just as shocked, Misaki clasped a hand over her mouth and bit back a squeal. "No way… No way, no way, no way, no way!" Her eyes widened in disbelief as they lit up in anticipation. "This can't be, I just don't believe it ─ Oh my gosh!"

To Mikan's surprise came the unexpected.

Misaki jumped twice, clapped her hands together, screamed out excitedly while seizing for a loving embrace and shrilled, "Mikan! I'd recognize those little fat cheeks anywhere. I can't believe it… It's really you!"

Mikan didn't know how to act. It was hard to believe that this same beautiful woman was actually her sister. She did her best to return the hug but found it difficult as she gasped for air. "Misaki… You're hugging me too tight… I can't breathe, please."

Misaki squealed again, releasing the brunette from her hold and brushed back a few pink bangs. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry about that. I just… I just can't-AH! This is unreal, it's completely unreal!"

It was hard to contain the energy that was fluttering continuously throughout her joyous spirit. It felt as if the sun were spreading its rays throughout her soul. Unable to hold back her feelings any longer, Misaki charged at her sister, pulling her into another hug.

"I've prayed so many times to see you again, and my prayers have finally been answered. Mikan!" She pulled away, caressing her sister's auburn strands. "Mikan… I missed you so much. So, so very much…"

Seeing the crystallized tears slowly trickling from her sister's face, Mikan could feel her heart sink. She returned a warm smile. "Misaki, I've missed you too."

"This is great! You came just in time. I've got so much to tell you and there's so much that we have to catch up on!" Misaki pulled Mikan inside, closing the door as she tugged at her wrist. "I can't believe that you're actually standing right in front of me in the very flesh." She finished wiping away the few remaining tears and stared at the woman before her in disbelief. "This is so unreal. How on earth did you find me when I couldn't even find you?"

Mikan rubbed the back of head and laughed nervously. "Yeah, about that… It wasn't easy, you know. It took me almost two and a half hours just to find this place. There's a lot that I've got to tell you too, Misaki. I've been─"

_**Thump. Thump.**_

"Hey. Harada…" More loud knocking came about along with a muffled voice just behind the door. "Harada, open the door. Hey…"

"Hold that thought," Misaki held up a finger. "I've got an expected visitor. I thought you were him, given the fact that he likes to arrive early. That might be him right now. Give me a second, okay?" She turned her back and called aloud, "Hold it up, Hyuuga, I'm coming."

Mikan knitted her brows together at the familiar name.

_Hyuuga? No… It couldn't be._

Misaki huffed out a groan as she grabbed hold of a yellow envelope from a desk. She trudged her way to the door and just for kicks, pretended to fumble with the knob. "You're a little earlier than expected," she said in a dry tone, opening way for her guest.

His conceited aura took in the unwanted welcome as he snorted, "Well, what can I say. I'm the type that likes to get a head start."

"Well, you can thank yourself for interrupting a good family reunion, Hyuuga. Here," Misaki handed him the envelope, almost flicking it away like a Frisbee. "Why don't you take the document and get lost for good already, huh?"

Natsume shrugged simply and found a comfortable position against the wall. "I enjoy messing with you too much. It lightens my mood." He grinned in response to a pissed off narrowed glare. "Don't go biting people's heads off, Miss Harada, I'm leaving. Besides, I have to go anyway. Something unexpected came…"

He stopped short, eyes suddenly catching a quick glimpse at a familiar brunette whose brown eyes were widening like saucers.

Time almost stood still as the two figures could only stare across the room at each other with a stirring silence building in between them.

Crimson red met Hazel brown, both colors clashing together as if a showdown were about to commence.

Being the first to break away from the trance, Natsume finger-pointed and yelled, "You!"

Mikan blinked back in awe and pointed in return as her voice squeaked out, "You…!"

"Eh?" Misaki looked to her left and right, unable to comprehend the present situation. "What's going on here?"

**.**

Misaki arrives! Hope you enjoyed 16^^


	17. The Baggage is Mine

**Disclaimer: **Story's mine. That's it.

**.**

P.H.- "...Will I take her back, or THROW THE BAGGAGE OUT?"

**-Professor Henry Higgins. My Fair Lady (1964)**

**Chapter 17: The Baggage Is Mine**

**.**

Karma could be one crazy son of a gun sometimes.

It was a very… stirring situation, for Mikan to come face to face, finger pointing and gawking at the very same man that she had sworn to get away from.

This scene just decided to pop right out of no damn where and the picture just didn't make any damn sense.

Mikan continued to point on in disbelief as her lips stuttered out, "N-Natsume? B-but why…?"

Still unable to understand what the hell exactly was going on right in her very room, Misaki scratched at her head. "What the heck is going on here?" She switched her eyes from Mikan back to Natsume. "Hyuuga? What the hell─"

"What the hell is going on here?" Natsume demanded his say, ignoring Misaki's question. He pointed to Mikan accusingly. "Weren't you supposed to be at Imai's place? I heard that you decided to go wandering off on your own again, but what the hell are you doing all the way over here?"

Natsume Hyuuga was definitely in a category of his own. Mikan couldn't believe how arrogant he was to simply demand things right out of her as if she weren't a human being.

She stood her ground with both hands on her hips. "I should be asking you the same thing. What the hell are _you_ doing all the way over here?" She did her best to fumble up her courageous act for words while staring down an irritated scowl. "I'm a grown woman, you know. I've got a right to go anywhere as I please."

Well, this little twit certainly had some guts on her.

"So you think that you're a woman, huh?" Natsume snorted back. "In case you've forgotten, little girl, your poor excuse for being a 'woman' at all is nothing but a dream. Until the six months are up, you're nothing but a hopeless commoner taking up the benefits of being pampered and coached." He sighed and coaxed to her with his index finger. "Whatever. Just shut up already and let's go."

The brunette scrunched her nose. "I'm not some… dog or personal servant to be at your calling. I've got rights as a person and I'm not going back."

What did she just say? "Say that again?" Natsume questioned her, arching his quizzical brow. His ears must have heard wrong. "What did you just─?"

"I'm not going back!" Mikan repeated even louder this time. "I refuse to go back. I won't!"

Natsume slightly twitched. When did this woman get so damn bold? She was never one to go against his word so easily. Well, okay… Maybe that was an understatement; she had always been the type to bite back.

Still, she could at least learn to hold her tongue and just do what she was told for once, couldn't she? Yet here she was, hands firmly set on either side of her hips, refusing to obey the given order.

Clicking his tongue, Natsume slowly started making his way for the brunette. "After all my hard work… You," he took four big steps towards her direction, "take it upon yourself…" he took another two more, "…to make a demand to me like that? Just like that?"

His big steps continued on until finally resting at the front of his target. Natsume's tall figure stood over Mikan's small frame.

She gulped, a little intimidated by such stern masculinity and with each footstep, slowly began to back away one by one. Natsume, of course, was quick to catch on to her game of cat and mouse as she turned her shoulder to make a sharp get away.

"Oh, no you don't," he growled, reaching out for her arm. "You're not going anywhere."

Feeling her body forcibly being pulled, Mikan suddenly found herself being hauled away. Her feet scuffed across the carpet floor as she struggled to break free.

"Let go of me! Let go!"

The next thing to come for Natsume was the unexpected.

Just when he was about to haul the feisty little brunette towards the door, he jolted after feeling a mouth full of teeth sinking deep into his skin. "Damn!" he cursed, immediately releasing his hold to the woman.

Seeing the chance, Mikan made an effort for a quick getaway. She stumbled her way over to an overly stunned Misaki and hid cowardly behind her back.

For Misaki, this was definitely a first to witness the usually calm and collected Natsume Hyuuga role playing as Tom and Jerry with a hardheaded little brunette. If it weren't for the intense aura that he was giving off, she probably would've busted out laughing right then and there.

"You…" Natsume growled tenaciously, shaking his now swollen hand. "Little girl… You're seriously trying to make me hurt you. Get. Your. Ass. Over. Here. Now!"

Mikan responded by sticking out her tongue. "You can't make me! I won't be told what to do so freely by some… pretentious, impudent, self-asserting jerk!"

Natsume froze instantly as he furrowed his brows. He stared at the brunette in annoyance.

"You… actually have the guts to backfire on me with such big vocabulary?" He practically had a fuse blowing right out from the top of his head. With Misaki blocking his view, his hand reached out to grab at Mikan unsuccessfully. "Ungrateful woman. Two months ago you didn't even know how the hell to pronounce words properly from A to Z. Who do you think made that possible for that bad mouth of yours, huh? I won't have you not repay me for all my hard work. Now, come here!"

"I said I won't!" Mikan cried, still struggling from the raven haired demon as she pushed her sister to the forefront. "I won't go back; you don't have the right to tell me what I need to do. Leave me alone!"

"Hey, hey, _hey!_" Fed up with being caught in the middle of mindless bickering, Misaki commanded a halt with the two of her hands. "Alright, that's enough. Calm down you two, calm down." She fixated her pink eyes to her sister with a questioning look. "What the hell is going on here, Mikan? Do you two know each other?"

Mikan responded with a pout and crossed both arms over her chest. "He's no one important."

Natsume somewhat scoffed. "Funny how I'm not important when we've been sharing the same roof for the past few months."

Misaki's sudden breath of gasp was quick to interrupt. It couldn't be… "Wait a second here, hold on. Don't tell me… Hyuuga?" Almost stunned, she pointed in disbelief at Mikan. "Is she the woman that you and Ruka were talking about? The one that's supposed be staying with you for six whole _months? _My _sister?_"

"Yeah, this little scrawny runt is the… Wait. What?" Blinking his eyes twice, Natsume pointed to the little brunette and gawked back at Misaki. "Sister? Her?"

The next thing to come was an unexpected burst of laughter. Both Natsume and Mikan gave a blank stare at a pink haired woman gripping both of her sides.

Unable to hold back, Misaki put a hand to her head and laughed, "Man this is one hell of a day! Who knew that my sister had it in her to hit it off big?" She fanned herself as if to gather air. "Mikan, you actually got shacked up with the narcissist prince? Boy! ─ If Yuka could see you now, huh? I mean, wow! You even picked a looker with money too."

At that very moment, Mikan's face grew a bright red. She blushed while gasping, "Shacking up?" Her finger pointed ever so rudely at her nemesis, "With him_? _You've gotta be joking, Misaki. I haven't been shacking up with anyone, especially this heartless jerk."

"She's coming back with me," Natsume replied dryly, ignoring the finger point to his face. "I spent too much time on this woman that's meant to become a sure win for my bet. It's all or nothing with my career on the line." His eyes seemed to tame hazel orbs as he spat out, "And I'm not taking any damn **no** for an answer."

"Wait a minute. Hold on a second there, Hyuuga." Appearing to have finished her little episode of laughter, Misaki wiped a tear from her eye. She patted Mikan's brown head of hair and said, "Though the situation here is funny as hell, I'm not about to sell off my own sister to a cocky young heir. Besides, I'm like Mikan's guardian anyway seeing as how we're related. She's mine to keep."

Natsume's expression turned sour. "Like hell you are," he countered, pulling again at Mikan's arm. "I'm the one that paid $200.00 for her. She's mine."

And as usual, little Miss Mikan was never one for the pulling and tugging. She pulled away from Natsume's grasp. "Why are you always trying to tell me what to do? I told you already that I'm not going back."

Natsume grunted, turning his agitated scowl to face her. That was it.

"You know, this is the kind of damn thing that I hate about you. You're always trying to make the worst of the situation than what it is just because you refuse to follow directions." Mikan stood still as he finished off his speech. "The only thing you like to do is gorge up on chocolates and food; it's a complete turnoff. There's no feminine quality about you whatsoever!"

Were his words always this cold? Always so nasty and bitter without any hint of remorse in them at all?

Mikan could feel her heart sink. "I don't care what you think about me." It was a lie, but she did her best to fake it out for the truth. "If you don't want a woman that likes to eat a lot or that has a big mouth, then I guess I'm not the girl for you now am I? I'm not going back with you and that's final!"

The words nearly left Natsume tongue tied in itself as he stared back, almost dumbfounded. "So, this is the thanks that I get? I give you a roof over your head, a bed to lay your head down, food on the table, and even clothes with the expense of lavish luxury." His cold eyes pierced straight through hers. "But you want to spit it back in my face like it was all for nothing? Are you that ungrateful, woman?"

"Give it a rest, will you Hyuuga?" Misaki defended for her sister as she blocked Natsume's path. "The girl's flustered up enough, can't you lay off for a bit? She refuses to go with you. Besides, you've already got the envelope you came for. Just let it go already."

Stoic red eyes started to bore holes at the pink haired woman then flickered with annoyance back to the brunette. "So, you're planning on staying in the end? Well?"

Mikan kept her stubborn silence as she could only flinch and look away to the floor.

Natsume's jaw tensed slightly and after five long seconds he huskily muttered, "Alright, then… Have it your way."

After a tongue click of dissatisfaction the model tussled at his hair and briskly made his way for the door. Misaki's eyes followed his every move. "Hey, hold on, Hyuuga. Where are you going?"

"What does it look like?" Natsume breathed over his shoulder, narrowing his red orbs in Mikan's direction. "I'm leaving the piece of baggage with you. She's your problem now and she's got nothing to do with me anymore." And then he was gone. He left, leaving nothing but harsh words to sting at Mikan's heart as if she had just been disowned by her very own father.

Misaki held back her own temper tantrum as she continued to gawk at the door. "Whoa! Can you believe that guy? What a jerk! The guy comes barging up in my condo like he owns the damn place, demands that I hand over my sister, then leaves just like that? So unattractive in a guy. Mikan can you believe…"

Holding back her tongue, Misaki felt almost guilty as she saw her sister's face flushing red with tiny crystals plastered at her cheeks.

"H-hey, now… Mikan, what's wrong, huh? Did that creep pull on your arm too hard?"

Mikan shook her head. "N-no, that's n-not it. It's just…" she sniffed, wiping away her tears. "He said that I'm not feminine. I'm nothing like a woman in his eyes at all. T-that jerk…"

"What, are you worried about what Hyuuga said?" Misaki asked, patting her back. "Come on, Mikan, the guy is a hopeless case when it comes to being sensitive to women. Besides, the only kinds of women that he finds feminine are tramps, scamps, and… need I say more?" She smiled in response to Mikan chuckling through sniffled tears. "Anyway, we have a lot of catching up to do as sisters. And I know just the thing."

Hazel orbs blinked away tears with another sniff. "Yeah? What's that?"

Jumping up and down, Misaki clasped both hands together and said, "One word: Shopping!

**.**

In Mikan's dictionary the word, shopping, was something that you only did when you were in dire need for a different look.

But for Misaki Harada, the word, shopping had a completely different definition. For her, it meant shop till you drop, stick it out up until the very last penny, or go long! until your last credit card was no more.

Her eyes lit up like a wolf on the hunt and her legs galloped away like a horse on the run. She practically dragged her sister by the arm as they made their tenth visit into another retail store.

"Look, look, look!" she squealed, spotting a pink dress hanging on a rack. "Wow, it's so cute! It's the perfect size for both of us. What do you think?"

"It's pretty," Mikan smiled, admiring the color. "I think it would look a lot better on you, Misaki."

"Central Town is the best when it comes to shopping for the latest fashion trends. Remember how when we were kids, we would always play dress up and try on my mother's clothes? This so brings back memories." Misaki squealed again before handing the dress to Mikan. "That's it, Mikan. I'm buying this dress for you."

"Y-yeah?" the brunette stuttered. "You really think that I look good in this kind of thing? You think that I could look feminine enough?"

Misaki simply shrugged. "Well, why wouldn't I? With a dress like that and a cute face like yours, you're bound to have men crawling on their knees."

"D-do you think…" Fighting an oncoming blush, Mikan looked away to the side as she muttered, "Do you think Natsume would like this… on me?"

"Seriously?" her sister groaned, rolling her eyes. "Mikan, I'd have to sucker punch the guy in the jaw if he ever thought otherwise. I mean, come on, even a cocky guy like Hyuuga would have to admit that you look beautiful in a dress like this. As cute as you are, I'd be surprised if he hasn't already kissed you."

Mikan said nothing when her face highlighted tomato red. "Uh, yeah, haha. That would… be a surprise…"

"Tell you what," Misaki said, patting her on the shoulder, "why don't you go ahead and try the dress on while I go ahead and pay for it at the register. Meet me up at the front?"

Mikan nodded in agreement and smiled. Signaling an okay, Misaki made a peace sign with two fingers and made her way to the front of the store. She whistled a light tune while reaching into her bag for her wallet.

"Now, where did I keep that Hello Kitty credit ─ Ah!" Feeling her shoulder bump into another figure, she heard a faint grunt come about. "O-oh, I'm sorry about that."

She looked up but couldn't quite get a good look at his face. He wore a red baseball cap and a pair of black tinted shades that masked over his eyes. With a curt given nod, the man simply waved his hand off dismissively and retreated in silence.

Curious, Misaki blinked twice, swiftly turned her head back around, and caught glimpse of raven hair descending into the background. Her eyes watched the figure closely as he met up with a blonde headed young man, one of which from even afar she could tell was strikingly handsome.

If she didn't know any better, she could've sworn… "Huh? That was… Nah, it couldn't be."

**Seated outside at Central Town's Pizza Parlor...**

Misaki marveled at how many slices the little brunette could gulp down in just two bites. She chuckled at the sight of string cheese stuck like glue to the side of round stuffed cheeks.

Shaking her head, she cupped her chin and laughed, "I'm so glad that we had the chance to hang out like this, Mikan. It feels so unreal. Seriously, I still find it hard to believe that you're actually sitting right across from me right now. The feeling hasn't settled in just yet."

"I'm happy to be able to see you too, Misaki," Mikan said, gulping down another chunk of cheese. "It's a good thing dad gave me that letter way back then or else I probably wouldn't have been able to find you. By the way, this pizza is really good!"

Misaki smiled as she used her napkin to reach out and dab at the few smudges on Mikan's face. "How is our old man doing these days huh, Mikan? Is my mom still doing okay too?"

The brunette shrugged. "Eh, they're okay I guess. Your mom is still the same bossy witch like always and as for the old man…" She flicked a piece of pepper into her mouth and said, "He's still acting up here and there. Would you believe me if I told you that he actually sold me off to Natsume back then for $200.00? It's a good thing that I decided to run off on my own a long time ago. I can't stand that crook."

Choking back a sip of her drink, Misaki stared back amazed. "Wow that _is_ messed up." She smiled somberly. "Mikan, you know, I'm… sorry."

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"I… don't deserve your kindness as your big sister. What I did to you was heartless." Misaki bit her lip as her fingers played with her napkin. "I know that my mom can be a mess and our dad was never one to hang around in our lives much. It must have been hard for you after I left. For me to just leave you alone like that…"

Mikan stared back blankly for a good moment then sighed, "It's okay, don't worry about it. I'm fine now."

"No I mean it," Misaki objected, guilt rising in her voice. "I've been a terrible sister. I wasn't there when you needed me." She shook her head and sighed. "Como was just becoming too much to bear. As soon as I turned eighteen I packed my bags and left, you were only thirteen at the time. I took off to find a good job and studied at a community college as a part-time student. Once hitting it big in business, I headed back to Como so I could take you with me but… It turns out that you headed out on your own way before I had the chance. I'm sorry."

One loud slurp of cola through a straw was enough to erase the solemn vibe. Mikan shrugged, bearing no grudge. "Ah don't worry about it, Misaki. I had to get away from my old man at some point. It was only a matter of time anyway."

Misaki laughed. "You're amazing, Mikan. It's like staring back at Yuka in the flesh. You definitely have her loving heart and forgiveness." She paused on the words to come and asked, "Still… What was life like for you after I left?"

Shrugging again to herself, Mikan sighed dejectedly. "Once you left, life just seemed to get more miserable by the year. I got sick of your mom putting me down and saying how worthless of a woman my mom was and all that 'good' stuff." She waved her hand off at Misaki's worried expression and laughed nervously. "Don't worry, I learned to ignore it. Well, anyway, I decided to leave the dump and had a hard time living on my own. No matter where I went there were always people treating me like trash. There was always somebody shooing me away or telling me how I was useless garbage populating the planet."

Her finger absentmindedly traced around the rim of her glass plate.

"Anyway, I learned the ropes at being a good pickpocket. Food was a lot easier to come by that way. But after _that_ day… everything changed." A bright smile started to form at her lips. "I ran into Natsume one night and then met him again a few days after that. Before I knew it, I was living under the same roof as him and found myself becoming a part of some stupid bet that would change my life forever. The guy was hard to cope with but really, he wasn't all that bad. "

Her smile slowly faded as her mind gradually came back to an earlier episode. The same moment where a heartless raven haired man spat harsh words and left her as nothing but a piece of "baggage."

Her brows creased together at the thought. "But now… Ah, I don't care anymore." Shaking her head, she took another bite out of her lunch and squealed, "This pizza is so good!"

Misaki folded both hands under her chin and smiled. It definitely was a blessing to be able to spend such joyous moments with her sister like this. Still… she just couldn't shake this crazy feeling that they were being watched.

She could feel an odd vibe crawling upon the hairs of her arms. Curious, her eyes trailed straight ahead towards a table with two very… suspicious looking young men.

Sitting just two tables away with his blonde haired companion, a certain raven haired model did his best to keep a low key. His black tinted shades glistened in the sunlight as he fixed the cap on his head. He turned his head slightly to the left while keeping a good watch from afar.

Snorting a little under his breath, his fingers tapped at his unfinished plate of pepperoni pizza. "Does that girl ever stop eating? And what the hell is with that conversation?"

Doing his best to lay low, Ruka poked his head from around his menu and whispered, "Natsume, I understand that you wanted to check on Miss Sakura and all but… Why in the world did you have to bring me too?"

Natsume paid him no mind. He continued to glower in his seat as he chewed on his cheek. "She acts like she doesn't even care about not going back. Look at her, wearing that stupid smile like some goofy kid. Idiot. I bet she thinks her chest looks bigger too just because she's wearing that stupid dress."

"Why are you looking at her chest?" Ruka asked him. He shook his head and sighed, "Natsume, maybe you shouldn't do this. It's not good to pry in on people's conversations like this."

Natsume waved his hand as if to silence him. "Just be quiet and go along with it, Ruka. I'm trying to hear what they're… Oh, hell." Stiffening his neck, he quickly whipped his head back around. "I thought I saw Harada looking over here just now. Damn…"

Watching the whole thing from afar, Misaki squinted her eyes at the scene.

Honestly… Just how stupid did they really think she was?

She looked back to her sister with a sly grin. "You know, Mikan, I still haven't heard your response just yet."

Taking another sip of her cola, the brunette asked, "My response? To what?"

"I'm planning on leaving Japan. For good," Misaki stated carefully. "After making a good profit in business, I've finally decided to tone my hectic life down a bit and take it slow. Believe it or not, I'm actually selling off some of my business firms towards Hyuuga and his companies. And once that's all said and done, I plan on leaving for the States four months from now."

Mikan blinked back, surprised. "You're leaving Japan in four months? And it's for good?"

Misaki nodded with determined eyes. "And Mikan… I want you to come with me."

_What? _came Natsume's sudden thought after hearing the question. He nearly jumped in his seat. _She's going to what?_

"We deserve to be together, don't you think?" Misaki continued. "Our family has been through enough hardships and I couldn't bear to part with you as long as I have now. I want my sister to live with me. I'll make a new life with you right by my side. What do you think?"

Mikan didn't know how to react. Her teeth overlapped her bottom lip as she stared back at her sister's hopeful gaze. "W-well, it… I mean, it sounds great, and I…" She smiled to herself, pondering over the offer. "I've been lonely for so long without you, Misaki. To actually live with you sounds… almost like a dream come true."

Misaki could feel a ray of light shine as her eyes glistened excitedly. "So you really mean it? You'll come back with me?"

Raising brows at the sudden brought up topic, Ruka whistled lightly. "Leaving Japan, huh? Wonder what's gonna come out of─"

_**Clash! **_

Plastic cups of cola spilled to the floor crashing along with now broken glass plates.

Flipping his shades from off his face, Natsume nearly flipped over the table as he suddenly arose from his seat. Ruka watched in shock as his friend stormed off to make his presence known.

Both Misaki and Mikan flinched in response to a sudden hand pounding on top of their table.

"N-Natsume…?" Mikan stuttered, jumping in her seat. Her brown eyes widened at a pair of familiar crimson eyes. "When did… What are you─?"

"Ah, the weasel finally pops out," Misaki said expectantly. She crossed both arms over her chest. "I knew that was you and Ruka following us around earlier. Way to ruin the moment, Hyuuga."

The model gave a faint snort at Misaki before shifting his eyes back to the brunette. "Will you go?"

Aloof as always, Mikan blinked twice and cocked her head. "Eh? Go where?"

Rolling his eyes Natsume's sarcastically sneered, "To take a dump." He shook his head and sighed, "Idiot. I'm asking if you're going with Harada to the States."

Mikan didn't know what to say. She kept quiet, still confused and shocked all in one.

When Natsume noticed that she wasn't responding he snarled demandingly, "Answer the damn question!"

"Stop yelling at me!" Mikan defended. Her flustered cheeks rounded into a pout as her eyes flared back in anger. "What are you doing nosing your way into my business anyway, huh? And what's with you showing up here out of nowhere and being so rude?"

"You're so selfish," Natsume jeered, ignoring the question, "and ignorant. You're inconsiderate, a mindless freeloader who only likes to eat, and a lazy little girl who doesn't give a damn about being grateful towards those who've paved a path for your future."

Confused as to what the hell was happening, the brunette abruptly stood up, sending her chair flying backwards.

"Who the… _hell_ are you to spit out things like that? You damn jerk!" She stomped her foot in anger. "It's always me having to be the one that ruins your damn life. Why do you have to make things so difficult all the time? You're so unfair!"

The raven haired model flinched back in awe. Who is she to talk? All he ever does is worry about her from left to right but the little pest is just so ungrateful all the time.

"I'm the one who's being unfair?" Natsume neared in closer as they came face to face. "You have the nerve to call it quits and decide to leave off on your own without any consideration for turning your back on a deal. But I'm being unfair?" He pointed to her chest and said, "That's why you won't amount to nothing in this world. You're quick to give up when you haven't even tried to push yourself to the limit. But that's natural for you, isn't it?"

Mikan's mouth opened to cuss up a storm, but words were far from coming out right now. Her lips trembled in anger and hurt.

Didn't he harbor any feelings towards her as she did for him? Any at all?

She could feel tears coming on at the corner of her eyes, but like hell was she going to let loose right in front of him now.

"That's it, Natsume. I can't take this anymore," she muttered, lowering her head. "I'm sick of being treated like dirt… There's only so much that I can take. It hurts too much." Her face rose to stare at him fully. "If it's going to be like this than I might as well go ahead and leave with Misaki!"

That one last sentence was a shocker for Natsume. "Y-you… can't just decide something like that on your own so freely." He clenched his fists and said, "You signed a contract, remember? There's no way you can go back on your word and quit after we've come so far ahead!"

Seeing her sister so flustered, Misaki did her best to step in. "Come on, Mikan," she said, grabbing at her shoulder. "Let's just leave. You don't have to─"

"Why do you sound so surprised?" Mikan ignored her and continued to blow a fuse. "Weren't you the one who said I was selfish and ignorant? You even had the nerve to automatically assume that I was going to leave before even bothering to hear me out. I have every right to go against that stupid contract!"

Next, came nothing but silence. Pure and utter Silence.

The wind gusted by lightly with a ghosting blow passing through. The man full of pride stared back at the woman whose prejudiced eyes could no longer stand his cynical snobbery.

Mikan exhaled a heavy sigh and shook her head. "This is it… I've had enough. I'm leaving, Natsume. I may not be the woman that you want in your eyes, but I'm definitely not going to stay chained to a leash to be your pet dog." Her eyes closed as she whispered a soft spoken, "Goodbye."

Natsume stood almost frigid. Goodbye? She wanted to leave him so easily? His teeth grinded together and his hands balled into tightly clenched fists.

No. He wouldn't allow it. There's no way in hell that he would let that happen.

His body acted on his own, and suddenly, he found himself reaching out for that one small wrist. "You… can't do this to me," he said quietly under his breath. With his raven bangs covering his face, his hold to her wrist tightened. "You can't leave me…"

Ready to end it once and for all, Mikan turned her head and opened her mouth to speak, but refrained herself completely. Her eyes became tamed under Natsume's spell. Pools of red beckoned to her inner being as she stared back in silence.

Another quiet moment passed on. Natsume gritted his teeth together and let his bangs shield his expression. "Fine, then… You can… just do what you want!" He released his hold to Mikan's wrist and cursed aloud before walking off. His shoulder bumped into hers as he took his leave.

Not fully understanding what was going on, Ruka came running up from behind. "N-Natsume! Wait up!" He bowed respectfully to Mikan and Misaki before dashing off for his friend. "Natsume! Hey!"

Mikan didn't move. Her body stayed put with her eyes still caught in a trance.

Those very eyes that held her gaze… She could've sworn that they consumed a deep sense of regret, sadness, warmth and… love?

**.**

"One strawberry and a double chocolate, please."

Misaki whipped out a ten dollar bill to pay for a pair frozen ice-cream. She studied about the area before her eyes finally rested on the sight of chestnut hair from afar.

She made her way to a nearby fountain and handed Mikan a cone. "I got us some ice-cream. Is strawberry okay?"

Nodding weakly, Mikan forced a small smile. "…Strawberry is fine."

Misaki returned a fake smile of her own as she found a spot beside her sister. Her eyes trailed over the rim of the fountain and gazed blankly at the many copper pennies beneath the water.

"Are you still afraid of water, Mikan?" she asked, breaking the silence. "I haven't forgotten your little phobia of swimming ever since '_that' _incident."

Mikan took a small nip at her cone. After a slight pause she put a finger to her chin and shrugged. "Well… I did almost drown once."

"What!" Misaki let her cone plop to the floor. Her eyes grew wide like saucers at the sudden answer. "What did you─?"

Holding back a laugh, Mikan quickly finished, "But everything turned out okay in the end, because… Natsume was there to save me."

Misaki's jaw almost dropped then rounded as she stuttered, "O-oh… He was, huh? T-that's… great." Still shaken up, she put a hand to her chest and exhaled a major sigh. "So, after living a few months with Hyuuga, I guess you two kind of got acquainted with each other pretty well. Am I right?"

Mikan nodded. "Believe it or not, but he actually bought me ice-cream once before." She smiled in response to Misaki's shocked expression. "We both came to this very same park too. It was," she couldn't help but to chuckle in between words, "a stupid thing back then. Both of us got into a big argument over nothing. But that was nothing new."

She laughed again under her breath and licked another nip of strawberry.

"And just when I thought that the world was on my shoulders, he… charmed me up with some very kind (but stern) words that made me think that he was a completely different person. Just when I thought that he couldn't get any more weird, he took me by the wrist, hauled me away to an ice-cream stand where we both cut to the very front, and bought me a cone of strawberry." Putting a hand to her head she laughed, "You should've seen him. He looked so lame, trying to be stubborn but stay a gentleman all at the same time. It was so unlike him."

Misaki couldn't help but smile. She cupped the side of her cheek and said, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say the two of you had a date."

Mikan shrugged, hoping to hide her blush. "He was such a jerk that day. I hated his guts. He was such a jerk but…" She fiddled with her cone and smiled to herself. "Such a jerk, but…"

A long quiet pause came about as the wind blew by.

"Well, this was unexpected," Misaki sighed, breaking the moment. "Who knew that my own sister would fall head over heels for the narcissist prince? What a world..."

Cheeks flushing red, Mikan was quick to deny the fact. "I-I'm not… What makes you think that I have feelings for him?"

Still unconvinced, Misaki let her head tilt to the side as she eyed her sister carefully. "Don't you?"

"…I don't know." Mikan hid her face as her bangs covered her eyes. "Maybe…"

Misaki shook her head and said, "You should stay, Mikan." Just before Mikan could reject, she quickly added, "I mean it. You don't need to go with me right now. At least, not in the condition that you're in." Her eyes softened and her smile grew wide while she brushed over Mikan's cheek. "You want to stay with Natsume, don't you?"

Stay? With Natsume? That one sentence was a little hard to answer, but Mikan couldn't deny the truth. The brunette kept her silence for a moment then nodded slowly.

"Misaki… I'm sorry."

Misaki only chuckled lightly and sighed, "It's okay, don't mind it. I'm alright with it if you are." She grabbed a hold of Mikan's hand, intertwining their fingers together. "But for now, you can still think about my offer. Just please think about it, okay?"

Feeling her heart go a flutter with many thanks, Mikan smiled brightly.

She squeezed her sister's hand tightly. "Misaki, I have a favor to ask… There's somewhere that I'd like to go. Can you take me?"

**.**

_**Ding!**_came the ringing chime of the front doorbell.

"Coming!" chirped a happy-go-lucky blonde as he came twirling his way to the front. The door slowly creaked open as he bubbly answered, "Good after─"

"That stupid little fool!"

_**Bang!**_

Poor Narumi never even saw it coming as his face suddenly met an untimely entrance with the front door.

Ruka followed in from behind Natsume and bowed apologetically to the helpless blonde who was laid out flat on the floor. His eyes rolled at his best friend being a stubborn prick.

"Seriously, Natsume," Ruka started, shaking his head. "You could try to pretend to be sensitive when you knock out someone like that…"

As usual, the stubborn model ignored the simple reasoning. Natsume whipped off is jacket, uncaringly discarded it to the floor, and plopped himself down in a chair. He ruffled at his raven hair and grunted out, "That stupid, stupid ungrateful little fool!"

"Come now, Natsume, let's not throw a temper tantrum." Having recovered fully, Narumi appeared on the scene. He kept a beaming smile to his now swollen face as he cooed, "What's life to be a stick in the mud for a rising young heir such as yourself? There's plenty to be happy about."

Ruka shrugged and found a seat on the leather couch. "He's a little upset about how things ended with Miss Sakura. I'm afraid this is what's become of him so far and… Wait, Naru, weren't you just knocked out?"

"I knew that I heard the sound of an idiot making his entrance..."

All eyes turned to the upstairs balcony where the lovely Miss Imai graced her presence. Calm and collected as ever, her hand palmed slowly upon the smooth wood of the stairwell as she casually made her way downstairs. Her cool, deep violet eyes were all but warm as they flickered to a certain raven haired model.

Annoyance was hinted within her voice as she said, "I'm surprised how my humble abode always seems to be the meeting spot for crisis situations." She flipped her coal black tresses and sighed, "And I see that Mikan is still yet to be seen, Hyuuga?"

Natsume only shrugged and wilted in his seat. "She just threw away her deal to the contract like that…Getting so cocky just because Harada came into the picture… Selfish little brat."

Musing to himself in thought, Ruka put a finger to his chin. "Well, this is certainly a twist." He grinned coyly. "Not that I'm happy of how things turned out for you and Miss Sakura, but… Now that some strings have been cut here and there… I'd say that the bet is headed for a win in my direction, don't you think, Natsume?"

"Ruka, this is hardly a time for bull─"

"If you really think about it," the handsome blonde interjected, "it's somewhat your fault for making Miss Sakura run off like that. I mean, all that ever came out of your mouth was negative nonsense to add onto your selfish pride."

Natsume's eyes widened then settled as he swept his head around to stare at his best friend. "You think that this is my fault?"

Ruka gave a light shrug. "It's pride versus prejudice." He turned his confident grin to his fellow blonde, "Wouldn't you say so, Naru?"

Narumi's lavender pupils burst in fiery flamboyance as he palmed a hand to his face. "Ah, _Sacrebleu! _First comes spankings and verbal abuse? The poor girl didn't even stand a chance with this barbarian." He scolded a finger as if to shame. "Natsume, how could you? Running Miss Mikan off like an unwanted kitten so easily… Young heir or not, you have no charms or heart for that matter as a man!"

"I didn't use verbal abuse!" Natsume defended quickly. Where were all these weird accusations coming from anyway…?

Adding extra sarcasm, Ruka laughed under his breath. "*Cough* that's a lie."

It amazed Hotaru of how stubborn her thick headed cousin could be.

She situated herself upon a loveseat and clapped her hands in applause. "My congrats, dear cousin. Your childish insolence made things turn sour in the end. As to be expected." Natsume watched in irritation as she propped a pillow behind her head. A teasing smile crossed her face as her stoic eyes taunted him. "Don't you ever get tired of playing the role as the cocky heir who gets all the women that he wants, has all the money that he needs and still carries around a heart of stone?" She sneered faintly, "All you had to do was get her back but I guess that would just be all too kind for a narcissist prince like you, right, Hyuuga? Besides, all you ever do is call her names and bully her around."

Maybe Hotaru got him on that one. It appeared that words were finally starting to reach him as his brows knitted together as if pondering over the fact. But that wasn't enough to make him admit his faults.

"It's not like I meant those things," he muttered under his breath while cupping his chin. "I… She didn't have to take me so seriously. I didn't mean for her to leave."

Hotaru could only roll her eyes. Honestly, the man just thinks that women are all simplistic and easy to read.

"Well, there's not much that you can do other than reflect on what you could have done. Suck up your pride and bring her back? Soothe her with comforting words?" She crossed one leg over the other and folded both hands on her lap. "By the way, since we're on the topic… Tell me, Hyuuga, what would you have said to Mikan if you had a second chance? Really, I'd like to know."

"She decided to leave on her own," was Natsume's curt reply. "I've got nothing do with it now."

Miss Imai responded with an arched brow. "That's what your response would be? You would just throw it back in her face all over again?"

Natsume shook his head and sighed, "No, that's not what I─"

"Or you would just swear at her and force her to come back with you?" Ruka interjected quickly. "That's what you would do, right?"

"Wha-? I never said any of─"

"Oh! I have it!" Narumi raised his hand as if having the answer. His eyes burned passionately as he said, "You would be a man and suck up your pride, let loose your fiery heart, and embrace her within your arms while repeatedly telling her much you love her and you can't live with─"

Before the goofy romantic could even finish, Natsume gave him a hard thrust to the head. "Just shut up…"

"So, it's settled, then," Hotaru's monotone voice stated. "You would just repeat the same mistake by letting her go if given a second chance? How sad."

"That's not it!" Natsume objected, tussling at his raven hair. "That's not what I would want. I don't want her to go!" His hands balled into tightly clenched fists while he stated his moment of truth. He closed his eyes and sighed. "If she were here then I would tell her…Tell her that I'm sorry. I'm sorry and I want her to stay… with me. I don't want her to leave. I want her to stay…"

Then next, the room engulfed with a quiet stillness.

Ruka watched in shock at the sight of his best friend finally coming to conclusion with himself. Narumi's eyes widened in admiration before he sent a small wink towards Hotaru's direction. Enjoying every taunting moment, Hotaru's lips pursed into an overly amused grin.

She chuckled lightly to herself and sighed as she stood up.

Men were so easy to fool when it came to having them fess up to their faults. She complimented herself on a job well done and smiled at the thought of winning a Grammy Award for such fine acting.

Crossing both arms over her chest as she called to the kitchen, "Hear that, Mikan? He wants you to stay. Isn't that touching?"

Ears automatically attuned to that one familiar name, Natsume's eyes were quick to flash open. His body went rigid and after a silent count of five seconds, he found the will to slowly turn his head.

It was as if time stopped still as a nostalgic face came to stand before his eyes. With both hands folded in front of her, Mikan made her appearance as her brown eyes glistened fervently.

Natsume slowly arose from his seat and gaped. "You…! When did… Why aren't you with…?"

"If you're wondering," Mikan interjected, tucking a few auburn strands behind her ear, "I got here a little while before you arrived actually. Thanks to Hotaru, I was… able to talk things over and came to a conclusion of my own."

She just couldn't quite get over the fact that Natsume's awestruck gaze was solely intent on her. A small blush crept to her cheeks as she looked away and pretended to pout.

"You're such a jerk. Seriously, if you wanted me to stay then all you had to do was say so." Holding back a small laugh, she smiled teasingly at the now flustered model. "And… I accept your apology."

Natsume blinked, slowly coming back to realization. His eyes widened then settled. "W-what did you…? A-apology?" He was quick to hide his expression and guarded any hint of shock. "Ha! Who said anything about an apology? I don't ever remember giving you an apology. All I remember saying was that..."

His words ceased.

Slender arms came to embrace him at the bottom half of his torso. The faint scent of tangerines seemed to whip at the air as chestnut hair buried deep into his chest. Refusing to allow him to continue any further, Mikan embraced Natsume tightly and rubbed her face against his solid body.

She could feel his heart beating like a dissonant drum and could smell his cinnamon-wood scent. Fully content, she smiled and held onto his warmth.

"Just shut up already. All I wanted was an apology but more than anything… I wanted to tell you that I'll stay." A sigh escaped her lips as she pecked a light kiss to his neck. "I want to become a real woman. I don't want to quit like a loser. I want to win. I want to change. I want to stay… with you, Natsume. I want to stick it out with these last few months that we have together."

A dramatic pause came about.

Slightly worried over his silence, Mikan shifted her brown eyes up to look at him and asked, "Is that okay?"

Well, this was definitely a surprise for some. Ruka shook his head, smiling in amusement. Utterly moved by Mikan's bold act, Narumi used a handkerchief to dab away at his tears. Never one for romantics, Hotaru sat comfortably and busied herself with flipping through a magazine.

Natsume didn't know how to take this strange situation. After his rude performance from earlier, he at least expected a stern response or maybe… a slap to the face?

He was never one for romance. He was never one to think of women as means other than satisfaction. He was never one to cuddle, pat a woman on the head, or even embrace her like she was his own.

All those things never applied to a man like Natsume Hyuuga, but for the first time… he felt that all of those things seemed so trivial. He couldn't pinpoint what exactly it was that he was feeling, but it just felt… so right.

Mikan could have sworn that his neck turned red. His stance went rigid while he tried to seem indifferent. Even so, he couldn't shake the odd sense of happiness flowing within him.

Hoping to hide away his blush, his bangs covered his face as he huskily muttered, "…Do what you want."

In the end, all he could do was look down at that same goofy smile that he had somehow come to cherish. That very same smile that had somehow became a part of him now… And with the last few months steadily approaching, he would vow to cherish it for as long as he could.

**.**

Long chap, huh? I'll try to shorten it next time. Note: I'll "try" ;)


	18. Dressed For a Test

**Disclaimer: **Nope.

**.**

"First thing in the morning, we'll go out and buy her a dress…"

**-Professor Henry Higgins. My Fair Lady (1964)**

**Chapter 18: Dressed For a Test**

**.**

"Stop messing with those damn shoes, Mikan."

The raven haired model situated the tie to his tux as he lectured the brunette beside him.

"These shoes hurt," Mikan complained, tugging at the straps to her heels. "They're not even the right size. Nonoko's feet are too big."

Natsume's red eyes flickered with annoyance to Mikan. "You should be happy that she let you borrow her shoes," he replied impassively. He gave a pop to her hand and said, "Now stop messing with them already."

It was the same old arguing for the pair as they continued bickering back and forth. Biding out their time behind a red curtain, the two of them were doing their best to take in a quick breather before making their appearance known.

They were presently in the corridors of the prestigious club of the country, Club Alice. Just behind the other side of the curtain awaited the many club elite members. Natsume could feel sweat nearly trickling down the side of his neck.

The time had finally come.

It was time to impress every socialite and elite. All the hard work for prepping a little street rat into a modest young woman would soon pay off. Today would be the first test for progress.

If he could pull this first test off without ease, then the bet against Ruka would definitely be his win for sure. Still… it made him feel a little uneasy of how his little brunette would fair off in the presence of the rich.

"Well, don't you two look cute together?"

Both Natsume and Mikan turned their heads to find a familiar face appearing from behind the curtain. He flipped his blonde tresses away from his face as his blue eyes settled on the brunette.

Ruka nodded in approval. "Miss Sakura, you look beautiful. Hotaru's dress turned out to be stunning."

"Ruka," Natsume's voice called confidently, "are you ready to lose the first part of the bet?" He leaned against the side of the wall with a smirk. "Once Mikan impresses everyone, I'll be one step closer to winning."

"You sure sound confident," the young chef snorted.

Natsume's smug grin turned sour. "Stop trying to sound so cool and just admit it. You're scared that I'll get the upper hand."

"Are you prepared Miss Sakura?" Ruka ignored the idle chatter and focused on Mikan.

With her legs still wobbling from her aching shoes, Mikan nodded weakly. "M-my feet hurt…"

Ruka laughed and clapped his hands. "Excellent! She sounds up and ready to go." He turned to Natsume and grinned. "Well then, I'll just go ahead and announce your entrance properly."

Hearing those words made Natsume feel a little uneasy. He arched a questioning brow. "What the hell do you mean 'announce' our entrance? …Are you going to─"

"Bye," the handsome blonde waved as he disappeared through the curtain.

Natsume tried to stop his best friend from doing anything stupid, but to no avail. He could only watch in silence as Ruka made his opening speech. He cursed under his breath. This didn't look too good…

Tired of the pain coming from her feet, Mikan sunk to the floor and began picking at the straps of her heels. "These stupid damn shoes," she complained.

"Ladies and gentleman of Club Alice," Ruka announced loudly, gathering the attention of the crowd, "if you would be so kind, please turn your attention to the front." He nodded in approval once all eyes were on him. "Thank you. Well, as you all know, the popular model and new young heir for Hyuuga Hotels has decided to make another appearance for this month's meeting. Natsume Hyuuga has already made his arrival, however… I'd like to introduce you to his female companion as well. She's a new visitor, and I'd like you all to welcome her."

"That idiot," Natsume muttered under his breath. "What the hell is he thinking, making us get attention like…" He paused, taking notice of the curtains suddenly being pulled from the sides. "What the─"

"Ladies and gentleman," Ruka began. He signaled for the curtains to open fully with a snap of his fingers and said, "I welcome you, Natsume Hyuuga and Miss Sakura!"

Before Natsume even had the chance to blink, the curtains had opened, revealing his presence and the little brunette who was… biting at the straps to her heels. People clapped in awe at the gracing appearance of the new Hyuuga heir.

Natsume fixed his tie in nervousness and tried to smile. "…Damn."

"Come on down, Natsume," Ruka beckoned to his best friend. His blue eyes were filled with amusement at the sour look on the model's face. "They're all waiting for you."

Natsume swore that he wouldn't let Ruka get away with this. "Ch. Guess it can't be helped then. Come on, Mikan." He yanked the brunette up off the floor. "Here, take a hold of my hand."

Mikan staggered her footing while being pulled down the steps of the stage. "Not so fast, don't walk so fast," she pleaded.

Natsume ignored her cry and pulled harder at her wrist. Then next, right with the tugging force from his grip…

_**Bam!**_

Mikan lost her footing, meeting an untimely fall to the marble floor. The crowd erupted into laughter after witnessing the poor thing stumble so hard. Trying to make up with a nervous smile, Natsume ran a hand through his hair and pulled at Mikan's arm again.

His red eyes narrowed as he gritted out, "Get. The. Hell. Up…"

Impressed by the young heir's celebrity appearance, many of the high socialites came to give their regards. Ruka watched from afar, amused by how well the pair faired off. His lips pursed into a small grin as he witnessed a poor Mikan balancing herself accordingly while hanging tightly to Natsume's arm.

"This should be interesting…"

**.**

Natsume was amazed that he had made it through alive in five minutes time.

He signaled Mikan to keep her mouth shut most of the time while he did all the talking. Once he was confident to let the brunette go, he released her from his grasp and forced her to walk.

She did her best at walking a straight line for ten, measly seconds until…

"Ah!" Unable to control her balance, Mikan stumbled backwards and then heard a faint grunt from behind. She blinked twice. "Eh? D-did I step on something…?"

"You're messing up my shoes…"

Mikan flinched and turned her head in the direction of the monotone voice.

She held back a gasp, finding a handsome young man with silver hair standing behind her. He wore a fashionable black tux and had the most gorgeous teal-grey eyes. She took notice of the scowl etched on his face and couldn't help but think that he looked exactly like Natsume.

His eyes narrowed at the oddball before him. "…So? Are you going to move or not?"

Mikan blushed and staggered off of his feet. "O-oh… I'm so sorry."

"Hey, Youichi," Natsume greeted the young man casually. "Looks like Andou's going to be late again, huh?"

Youichi peeled his eyes over to the raven haired model and quirked a brow. "Natsume-nii… Who is this weirdo?"

"W-weirdo?" Mikan asked, pointing to herself. She flared her nostrils. "Who the hell─"

"She's a distant cousin," Natsume quickly butted in. "You've never met her before."

"That right?" Youichi questioned. His brows creased together at the brunette's purple dress as if scrutinizing the design. He snorted faintly while pocketing both hands. "That dress looks like crap," his monotone voice stated as he took his leave.

Mikan's jaw dropped at the blunt comment. She pointed at the rude young man and looked at Natsume. "D-did you see that?"

Natsume gave a small "Hm," and shrugged. "He's a top fashion designer. Criticizing is his strong points."

"But still! Who the hell is he to─"

"Just try to keep your bad tongue to yourself," Natsume warned the brunette. "That is… if you can help it. Oh." He fixed his tie accordingly at the sight of his friends approaching. "Here they come," he whispered in Mikan's ear. "Don't do anything stupid."

Mikan silently cursed under her breath but not without Natsume giving her arm a hard squeeze. Witnessing the pair bickering like usual, Hotaru couldn't help but grin in amusement. She waved her hand over to the other members who were following close behind.

"I'm glad that you could make it," Hotaru greeted warmly.

Natsume nodded. "It was to be expected, right?"

Hotaru's violet eyes flickered to her cousin as she droned, "I wasn't talking to you. I'm referring to our special guest, Mikan Sakura?" Natsume twitched, holding back a curse of his own as Hotaru pulled Mikan away from his side. "Everyone, this is Mikan Sakura. She happens to be a distant cousin on Natsume's side of the family."

The many guests came to surround the little brunette, giving admirable stares of astonishment as they eyed her from top to bottom. Mikan could feel her heat thumping just by standing still. She definitely wasn't used to getting so much attention like this.

Hotaru smiled and whispered in her ear, "The dress that I made looks great on you. Purple is definitely your color." She nudged her arm. "Well? Don't just stand there like an idiot, say something already."

Mikan nodded, "O-oh… right." She took in a deep breath. This was nothing; she had been practicing how to speak proper for the longest. She smiled warmly and bowed respectfully, "My name is Mikan Sakura. It's an honor to be here."

A faint whistle came from the crowd of guests.

"Not too bad," said a boy with spiky brown hair. "Man, where have you been all my life? By the way, my name's Kokoro Yome." He winked playfully and added, "But you can just call me Koko for short. Shake hands?"

Mikan smiled and extended a hand. Just before she could give a proper handshake, Koko found his earlobe suddenly being yanked from the side.

"Do you always have to flirt with women?" a young woman growled irritably as she pulled Koko away. She flipped her dark-green, curly hair and sighed, "You're unbelievable."

Hotaru's eyes rolled as she sighed out, "And this is Sumire Shouda. She's a model… in training."

"I am a _supermodel,_" Sumire countered Hotaru's dried words with a snarl. "And for your information, I happen to be a pro."

Mikan extended her hand towards the 'supermodel' and smiled. "That's amazing. I never met a model before."

Sumire's green eyes stared at Mikan's hand before flickering up to look at her with annoyance. Swiveling her nose in the air, she made a pivot turn and scoffed, "Of course," still pulling at Koko's earlobe.

A light giggle came about as a young woman with cotton-candy pink hair made her appearance.

She smiled brightly at the brunette and turned to Natsume. "I'm surprised to know that you have another relative other than Hotaru, Natsume. I see that beauty runs in the family after all." She turned her head towards her companion to her left. "Don't you think so too, Yuu?"

"Of course," Yuu chimed. He ran a hand through his honey-brown hair and stuttered, "I-it's an honor to meet you, Mikan. I'm glad that we got a chance to see a new face."

"My name is Anna," the pink-haired woman said, offering a hand to Mikan. "I've been a member at Club Alice for three years, and I love acting."

Yuu tilted his glasses and bowed respectfully. "My name is Yuu Tobita; I've been a member for four years." He laughed nervously and added, "I also happen to run a famous bakery."

"It's an honor to meet you both," Mikan replied formally. "I do hope that we can be friends. It's my first time at Club Alice, so I'm a little nervous."

It gave Natsume great pleasure to watch his once untamed street rat speaking so respectfully. His lips thinned into a satisfied grin which did not go unnoticed by Hotaru. She held back a small laugh.

If only Mikan could see how far she's calmed his heart of stone…

"Alright, then," Hotaru clapped her hands aloud, "in about thirty minutes everyone will head to the reserved table for a treat. Let's all have fun socializing until then."

Anna and Yuu waved to Mikan as they took their leave. Feeling excited, the brunette rubbed the bridge of her nose and smiled. This would be a piece of cake having to display manners and proper etiquette.

Natsume grunted, walking up to her side. "You seem to be doing well so far," he approved.

Mikan grinned knowingly. "And you were worried for nothing."

The young heir arched a brow, stressing a long, "Hm?" as if in thought. "And who was the one back then who said that she didn't want to be a real woman?" Natsume smiled at the sight of flushed cheeks and patted Mikan's brown head of hair. "You're doing great."

The brunette felt her heart skip a beat. She nearly yelped as she found Natsume taking her by the hand and intertwining it with his.

"Keep up the good work," he whispered in her ear.

"Yo! Natsume!"

Turning to the calling of his name, the model raised both brows before creasing them into a frown. "Oh, hell," he muttered under his breath, "it's him…"

Making his appearance, a handsome red-head approached with a wave of his hand. Reo grinned at Natsume's irritated expression. "Ah, come on, Natsume, what's with the sour face?"

Natsume stared on in silence and impassively muttered, "Veronica…"

"Veronica?" Reo's brows rose then settled as if recalling a sudden memory. He scratched at his hair, snapped his fingers and said, "Oh! That's right, I remember now." He grinned. "How did things go with her, Natsume? She was a sexy fox, didn't you think? I bet you got to second base with her."

"Don't think I didn't know what you were planning," Natsume sneered. "You were just trying to snoop around to see if you could come up with some dirt on Mikan."

Reo smiled innocently, then pointed to himself and said, "Me? Now, why would I do," his teal-green eyes flickered over to Mikan, "something like that to such a beautiful creature like this?" He flashed a wink followed by a grin to the brunette. "You look sexy today, Mikan."

Mikan blushed and looked away to the floor. "N-nice to see you again, Reo…"

"Natsume!"

In less than three seconds, Mikan found herself being pushed backwards as a strawberry-blonde came crashing against Natsume's chest. She squealed with her arms enwrapping the bottom half of his waist.

Natsume staggered back. "L-Luna!" he grunted, trying to break free.

Reo laughed with a shake of his head. "You didn't forget about my cousin, did you, Natsume?" He grinned teasingly. "She's been waiting to see you for _**so**_ long."

"Natsume!" Luna sung his name, tightening her grip. "I'm so happy to see you, baby. How have you been? Did you miss me? I missed you so much!"

Mikan gawked back at the pair, blood boiling in anger. Unhappy with the new turn of events, she tugged at Natsume's arm hard enough to pull him away from the busty blonde's grasp.

Luna staggered backwards and glared daggers at the pesky brunette. "Who the hell is this?" she demanded.

Reo quirked a brow and answered, "Natsume's distant cousin. Her name is Mikan Sakura."

"It's a _pleasure_ to meet you," Mikan stated firmly, holding onto Natsume's hand.

"Oh?" Luna arched a skeptic brow with both hands on her hips. "I don't recall _my_ Natsume ever having a distant cousin."

Her brows creased into a displeased scowl as she watched Mikan tighten her grip around Natsume's wrist. For some reason… she didn't like the loving closeness that the two 'relatives' were having.

"Well, then," Reo started, giving a respectful bow, "I think that we'll take our time to socialize a little more." He made sure to shoot another teasing smirk to the model's direction. "I'm glad that you decided to bring Mikan today, Natsume. This… should be quite fun."

Luna arched a skeptic brow at Mikan and then blew a kiss to Natsume. "I'll be back," she cooed, before following after her cousin.

Time appeared to flow by quite nicely for Natsume.

He took his time to watch the whole scene from afar while standing by the mini bar with a glass of alcohol in hand.

He felt so much relief as he watched Mikan talk her away through the many conversations with the high socialites. She would giggle playfully, bow respectfully, and always knew what right things to say when it came to topics.

His brows would only crease from time to time when another male, other than himself, would approach her. They'd ask her for a small dance in which she declined, and would resume to talking instead.

Watching his best friend gazing on at a certain brunette, Ruka smiled and made his way over. "Natsume," he called, "it's about time to attend the formal dinner. You coming?"

Natsume simply grunted and finished off his last swig of alcohol. He made his way over to the brunette who by this time, was surrounded by a circle of men and beckoned her to his side. He didn't waste a single second as he swung an arm authoritatively around her waist, shooting a glare to the male bystanders.

"What's wrong, Natsume?" Mikan asked, noticing the tense aura.

Natsume simply shrugged. "Nothing," he replied indifferent.

The two followed Ruka close behind to a reserved table that awaited them. Ruka gestured everyone to sit down as he found a seat next to Hotaru. Natsume situated himself in a seat and ushered Mikan to sit to his right.

But just before she could get a step closer to a chair…

"Natsume!" Luna cried, pushing the brunette out of her way. She squealed happily as she found a seat next to her crush. "Let me sit next to you."

Mikan watched helplessly as the busty blonde took her seat. "H-hey! That was my─"

"Sorry," Luna smiled devilishly and winked. "This spot's taken. I'm sure you won't mind me sitting by your cousin, right?"

Teeth grinding together, Mikan exhaled slowly. Boy was she itching to give a good punch to the nose right now ─ just one would do.

"I have to be a lady, I have to be a lady," she repeated to herself, finding a seat to Natsume's left. She cursed under her breath, but once catching a glimpse at the feast before her, all her anger faded away.

Her eyes widened in awe at the delectable entrees and desserts that practically decorated the entire table. She counted off her favorite edible treats one after one: A strawberry cheesecake there, a platter of chocolate chip cookies here, and a giant stack of double-chocolate fudge over there. It was like a sweet, sweet dream!

"You seem to be infatuated with sweets."

Looking to her left, Mikan smiled at the handsome red-head smirking down at her. "Oh, Reo, it's you."

He chuckled at her innocent cuteness and pulled up a chair beside her. "I guess it's true what they say about women and chocolate." He winked and gestured his head towards the other guests approaching. "And… I'd say that everyone seems to be interested in you, wouldn't you think?"

"Mikan!"

"Eh?" Mikan looked up to find Anna approaching the table.

Anna smiled as she found a seat and asked, "Are you enjoying yourself so far?"

"I hope that you like the desserts," Yuu greeted as he came to sit beside Anna. "I'm dying to know what everyone thinks of them."

Mikan nodded back while chewing on a piece of fudge. "Yes! I'm having a great time."

"Wow, she's really cute." Making his appearance at the table, Koko swept up a chair. His brown eyes widened in awe as he studied Mikan. "Are you really Natsume's cousin? It's rare for him to hide a pretty face since he bangs just about every hot girl he sees."

Presenting a loud chest cough, Sumire made sure to make her presence known. She snickered at Mikan and plopped herself down in a seat.

"Oh, shut up, Koko," she said, glaring daggers at the boy beside her. "The only thing that you and Natsume ever talk about is women. May I remind you that you're not single anymore?"

Koko cupped his chin, pouting over losing his bit of fun. "You do it every day," he muttered sourly.

Mikan smiled nervously. "It's nice to meet you again, Sumire."

Sumire studied the brunette a while longer before curtly answering, "…Same here, I guess. By the way," she flipped her green bangs, "I'm the _girlfriend_ of the guy who was just hitting on you."

"Jealousy isn't attractive, Sumire," Hotaru deadpanned from across the table.

"Watch it, Imai," Sumire countered. She snorted, situating a napkin in her lap and refocused her attention to the brunette. "So, where are you from? I mean it's not like you're a familiar face, especially if you're new at Club Alice."

Pausing on the words to come, Mikan hesitantly answered, "I-I'm from… out of town, and am just visiting a while."

Sumire nodded, musing over the answer. "Well, you seem likeable, unlike _some_ people here." Her green eyes narrowed in the direction of a strawberry-blonde. "You don't like to flirt with every hot guy that drives nice cars and stick to his shoulder like a pesky fly."

Luna arched a brow at the comment. "Are you trying to imply something, Sumire?" she asked, grinning teasingly. "Didn't you hear what Imai said? Jealousy isn't attractive."

Sumire scoffed, "Oh, no, Koizumi, it's not that. I just can't stand the thought of whores contaminating the table. I hate them."

Mikan stared on as the two continued to shoot hateful glares at each other. She looked over to Anna and asked, "Do they not like each other?"

Anna smiled weakly and shook her head. "A long time ago, Sumire and Luna were fighting over who could get a date with Natsume first. In the end, Luna won the bet, and Sumire's been sour about it ever since."

"How many times are you going to bring that up?" Natsume groaned aloud. He clicked his tongue and said, "I keep saying that it wasn't a date. She blackmailed me into going to the movies with her. End of story."

"Oh, Natsume," Luna giggled playfully, cuddling closer to the model's muscular chest. "You don't have to sound so shy about it."

Her actions did not go unnoticed by Mikan's sharp eyes. The brunette glowered in her seat as she watched the blonde whisper flirty comments in Natsume's ear with a lick of her lips.

"Well Sumire, I completely agree. I hate girls who stick to guys for their money." Mikan poured herself a cup of tea and arched a brow in Natsume's direction. "I _especially _hate men who break promises for other stupid dates. Those are the worse kind."

The raven haired model flinched at her blunt comment and couldn't help but think that she was talking about him. His ruby eyes flickered over to Mikan in which she silently continued sipping her tea.

Sumire smiled with an approving nod. "I'm starting to like you already."

Natsume reached under the table to pinch at Mikan's thigh. "You seem to be doing well, but at least stop trying to pick fights," he whispered harshly.

Pretending to be confused, Mikan put a hand to her mouth. "Whatever do you mean?"

Natsume's eye slightly twitched. This little… His eyes darkened with warning. "…You know what I mean."

Mikan stared back for a silent count of ten seconds before grunting and looking away. She shrugged uncaringly while popping two pieces of fudge into her mouth.

Yuu laughed from across the table. "It seems that you like my arrangement of desserts that I baked up today, Mikan. I'm glad."

Mikan gasped, looking at him as if she were staring back at a celebrity. "You made all of these?"

"That's right," Yuu nodded. "Of course, it's nothing to be compared to Ruka's fine baking, considering that he's a star chef. But even so, being the proud owner of Tobita le Gateau makes my life worthwhile."

Ruka nodded, wiping the bit of food from his mouth. "He's right, Miss Sakura. Yuu has the best bakery in town."

"Tobita le Gateau, huh?" Mikan said, flicking another piece of fudge into her mouth. "I like that place a lot. I used to make hit and runs there all the time. It's the best place for stealing─"

"So, anyway," Natsume coughed, quickly covering a hand over the brunette's mouth, "I hear that you're having a ball coming up in honor of your new bakery. Isn't that right, Tobita?"

Yuu nodded fully and said, "Yes, that's right. I'm arranging a special ball for close friends and family to attend in honor of my bakery." He gestured respectfully to the many seated guests at the table. "And I'm pleased to invite each and every one of you to attend my ball on the third of December. Please do come and show your face if you have the time. Invitations will be sent out shortly."

"That sounds perfect," Ruka agreed, shooting an arched brow over to Natsume. "Don't you think so too, Natsume? It would be the perfect time to… _'test'_ Miss Sakura's progress a little more. You know, just to have her get used to socializing."

Anna squealed excitedly. "Oh, that would be just great!" She looked over to Mikan with pleading eyes. "I would just love to see you again, Mikan. You seem like such a lovely and well composed young woman."

Hotaru choked back a laugh, smiling as she took a sip from her tea. Ruka did his best not to laugh and flashed a taunting grin to his best friend.

Yuu nodded in encouragement. "Of course, Mikan is more than welcome to come too, Natsume."

Natsume went rigid in his seat, trying to force a convinced smile. "Well, that's to be determined. Of course," he narrowed his eyes to a certain blonde, "Ruka and I haven't really _'planned'_ on that happening. It's a surprise to me, anyway."

"Oh stop acting like an ass, and let the poor girl have some fun," Hotaru deadpanned, ignoring the narrowed glare coming from her cousin. "Mikan deserves to be free every once in a while. Let her go."

"So it's decided then," Ruka concluded. "Miss Sakura will be attending the ball along with Natsume on the eighth of December."

Natsume wilted in his seat, cupping his chin as his eyes studied the brunette beside him. She was being her usual gluttony self, gorging on desserts and choking on tea. His brows creased together.

_Just how the hell can she pass off for manners at a ball…? _

He gave up with a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "This is hell…"

"Natsume," Luna cooed out his name, offering over a plate of lemon pie. She cut off a piece with her fork and tried to coax him. "Sweetheart, why don't you try this? It's delicious."

Natsume sneered and looked away. "I don't want to."

"Oh, come on, silly. Just try it, please?" Luna giggled, unfazed by the model's cold attitude and enwrapped a hand around his arm. She licked her lips in a flirtatious manner. "I'd be more than happy to give it to you myself."

Groaning aloud, Natsume peeled his eyes back to the annoying woman. "Will you leave me alone if I do?"

"Yes!"

Mikan watched the two 'lovebirds' from her seat. Hell, she was practically sitting right next to them.

Her eyes narrowed after witnessing Natsume unwillingly take a bite off of the little scamp's fork and then swallow. She noticed his eyes spare a quick glance at Luna's busty chest and then sneer, pretending to be uninterested.

Mikan squinted her eyes and frowned. He was definitely interested…

"They look lovely don't they?"

"Eh?" Mikan blinked, looking over to Reo's tantalizing teal-green eyes.

Reo smiled, gesturing his head to the other pair. "My cousin has had a crush on Natsume for the longest. It's only natural that he knows how to deal with her annoying ways."

Pretending to be disinterested, Mikan shrugged. "That right? I didn't notice at all."

Reo quirked a brow, "Clueless like always, huh?" He laughed and said, "And like always, you look cute when you look like that."

Mikan looked away, hiding her blush. "Y-you don't have to tease me so─" She stopped short, flinching in response to the light traces over her skin.

Reo let his finger lightly brush over Mikan's hand and smiled. "Your hands are really soft," he whispered softly. "It's like you're completely fragile."

"Y-you think that they're soft?" Mikan stuttered.

"Here, why don't you compare them to mine?" Reo intertwined his rough fingers within Mikan's soft hands. "See the difference?"

Cheeks blushing mad, Mikan's eyes met two pools of green then looked away. "Eh… Um, yes, I do."

It was Natsume's turn to glare this time. His ruby eyes burned with a murderous intent as he spotted a teasing grin coming from Reo's lips. Hell, that bastard was doing this on purpose…

His eyes travelled to the blushing brunette followed by a snort. He mentally cursed her for being so gullible with a playboy. Not that he wasn't a playboy himself… Still, she didn't have the right to let another man touch her like that.

"Natsume," Luna whined, tugging at his shirt. "Natsume sweetheart, come dance with me, I'm bored."

Snickering under his breath, Natsume drawled, "Fine with me."

Luna squealed in adoration as Natsume took her by the waist. She didn't complain about being so close to his hard chest, taking up the erotic scent coming from the sexy man beside her.

Mikan's mouth nearly dropped a dead low as she watched the raven haired model leave her side. She gasped at the annoyed scowl coming from his face, especially meant for her.

What the hell was his problem anyway? Her heart sunk in defeat. She felt hurt and upset and… resented the fact that another woman had taken her Natsume away from her.

She gasped, pondering over that thought. Her Natsume? When did she have the right of ownership?

"Oh come on, Yuu," Anna giggled, pulling at the young man beside her. "Let's go dance too."

Yuu nodded, hiding back a blush. "Y-yes, of course."

Sumire did a chest cough, shooting her eyes in Koko's direction. She folded both arms over her chest, frowning as he continued his routine for gulping down cake.

Noticing that she was being ignored, she attempted to try again. "Ahem!"

Koko lazily tore his eyes away from his cake, arching a brow at his girlfriend. "What the hell, Sumire? Do you need a cough drop or something? You're getting germs on my food."

With a vein popping from her head, Sumire gritted her teeth, huffed out a sigh, and yanked her ignorant boyfriend by his ear. "Dance! Now!" she growled authoritatively.

Sitting idly by with a teacup in hand, Youichi rolled his grey eyes and muttered, "Idiots…"

Reo laughed a little and nudged Mikan's arm. "I think I'll head to the bathroom."

Mikan flashed a quick smile, then flared her amber eyes back over to the direction of a certain raven haired model whose arms… were a little _too_ tight around Luna's waist. She growled, popping two pieces of fudge into her mouth.

"Woo! The party started already?"

All heads turned around in surprise to find a young man with coal black hair approaching the table.

His dark blue eyes blazed brilliantly as he stared about the room. He seemed to stand in a class of his own as he walked casually in his Michael Korus tuxedo.

He smiled a cheeky grin as he situated himself at the table. "Ah, I see a lot of pretty ladies today. This meeting turned out great! Oh, hey Youichi."

Youichi snorted and clicked his tongue. "Tsubasa, you're late."

Tsubasa laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head. "Oh, sorry, sorry, my fault." His blue eyes turned to the direction of a little brunette as he winked. "Well, hello, beautiful! Who's this lovely girl?"

Youichi closed his eyes and sighed. "Natsume's distant cousin, Mikan Sakura," he answered impassively.

"Don't flirt with her," Hotaru warned Tsubasa who was already eyeing Mikan from top to bottom.

Tsubasa arched a brow. "Natsume has a cousin? Well, that's new."

Ruka laughed and gestured his head to the new guest. "Miss Sakura, this is Tsubasa Andou. He happens to be a famous fashion designer that works alongside Youichi. In fact, they run a shop together."

Rubbing his nose with a grin, Tsubasa nodded. "That's right! Ladies can't get enough of man who knows how to dress."

"Speaking of which," Ruka started, handing his friend a cup of tea, "no luck with Harada, Tsubasa? I was hoping that she would show up with you as her 'secret' admirer."

Tsubasa sighed, tussling at his black tresses. "Blew me off again," he shrugged. "As usual, she decided to be a no show. But I won't give up yet." He winked as he took a sip of his tea. "Persistence is my specialty."

Giving a sigh of his own, Youichi grunted as he continued to pick a fork at his dessert. "I hate chocolate cake," he muttered sourly. "Tsubasa, you want this?"

Like a moth drawn to a flame, Mikan's eyes immediately flickered over the dessert. "Is that German chocolate cake?" she asked excitedly.

Youichi nodded and irresolutely answered, "Yeah, I hate this stuff. It's…" He paused, taken aback by the drool slipping at Mikan's mouth. He wrinkled his nose at the sight. "What are you doing?"

"It looks so good!" Mikan's voice chimed as she jumped in her seat. "I want it! Can I have it, please? Please?"

Youichi gawked at the brunette as if he were staring back at a five-year old. He studied her face curiously as he slid the plate over to Mikan's direction.

Was it just or him… or had he seen that same face once before…?

"Look at her face," Tsubasa laughed while pointing. He snapped his fingers as if recalling a sudden memory. "She reminds me of that one time when we were at The Melting Pot. Oh, you remember, right Youichi? That one time when we saw that weird homeless girl looking through the window?"

Ruka nearly choked on his tea at the sudden change of topic. His blue eyes widened with worry. Bringing up a familiar memory didn't seem like such a good idea at the moment, especially concerning Tsubasa's shrewd actions from that night.

Ruka stuttered, "O-oh, maybe we shouldn't bring that─"

"It was so hilarious! You were there too, Ruka, remember?" Tsubasa went about with talking, waving a hand in the air as he laughed. "She wanted my chocolate cake so badly, didn't she? Haha! What an idiot she was that night."

Youichi snorted and took a sip from his tea. "Who could forget?"

"Yeah, she was so gullible. I gave her my chocolate cake and she looked so happy to finally be able to get it."

Mikan froze on her next bite of chocolate cake and perked her ears. Suddenly recalling the restaurant name, she asked, "Wait… Did you say The Melting Pot?"

Tsubasa's eyes lit up excitedly. "Oh, yeah, you want to hear the story, too, Mikan?" He pulled up a chair closer to Mikan as he became caught in the moment. "So, there was this one night (oh, Youichi and Ruka were with me too by the way), where I had some chocolate cake. And this ugly girl was looking at it through the window while licking her lips. She wanted it so bad, it was pathetic!"

Mikan's brows creased together. Everything was slowly starting to come back to her. The memories of a restaurant, looking through a window at a table of desserts, four young men seated at the table…

"Chocolate cake? …Window?"

Tsubasa nodded. "Yeah, so, anyway, I got my cake in a to-go box and just when I was leaving the restaurant… there she was!" He slapped a hand on Mikan's shoulder and laughed hysterically. "The same woman was outside looking through trash and it was comical. I decided to do a good deed."

"You call what you did a good deed?" Youichi snorted in disagreement.

"Hold it, Youichi, I'm telling the story here." Tsubasa cleared his throat and said, "So anyway, I felt bad for the thing and I decided to give her my cake… after I spat in it!"

"W-what…?" Mikan eyed the young man in horror.

"Tsubasa," Ruka tried to cut in, "you really shouldn't talk about this."

"And guess what else?" Tsubasa laughed even louder. "She took my cake in the end and was so happy about it! What an idiot, right? Man, but that was like the best part of my life, I swear."

Youichi shook his head at such adolescence. "What a fool. All that trouble for a homeless person."

"Hey it was funny, lighten up a bit. Besides, I thought─"

_**Bam!**_

Everyone jumped in their seats as a displeased brunette pounded her fist angrily upon the table. Mikan stood up from her seat; her bangs covered her face. It was if an eerie aura surrounded her.

"Back then… You… spat in the cake?" she said, flaring her eyes over to Tsubasa. "You spat in the cake!"

Tsubasa found himself sinking back into his chair. "C-chill out, Mikan, it was only a joke." He gulped, flinching at the sight of malevolent eyes that were fit to kill. "H-hey now, w-what's with the weird look, huh?"

Natsume groaned tiredly as he beat his shoulders.

He cursed under his breath at the thought of prolonged dancing with the annoying Luna Koizumi.

He clicked his tongue, "Man, it took forever to get away from that woman."

"Natsume-nii."

Hearing the calling of his given nickname, Natsume stopped and turned to find Youichi approaching him.

His brows raised then settled as he waved back casually. "What's up, Youichi?"

Pausing on words to come, Youichi scratched at his silver hair. "That Mikan girl that you came with…"

Natsume arched a skeptic brow at the sudden topic. "…What about her?"

"Are you sure that you two are related?"

Natsume could feel sweat nearly trickling down the back of his neck. Damn… Just what made the little brat start wanting to become nosey all of a sudden?

Keeping his face guarded, Natsume casually answered, "…Of course, I'm sure. What made you say that?"

"That woman looks awfully familiar." Youichi sighed, fiddling his fingers with his tie and clicked his tongue. "Maybe even… familiar enough to look like that _same_ homeless woman that we saw that night at The Melting Pot?"

"H-how did… When did you─"

Youichi quickly interjected, "If she was really your cousin then she wouldn't be homeless, right, Natsume-nii?" He smirked at the sight of Natsume flinching. Bingo… "And if she was really your cousin… Well, she wouldn't be trying to kill Tsubasa right now."

That one sentence was all that it took for Natsume to exclaim, "What!"

He paused for three long seconds before cursing aloud and immediately took off. What the hell did that woman do while he was away?

Once catching sight of a certain brunette, his tracks came to a stop as he witnessed the scene before him.

His red eyes widened in horror. "Oh, hell…"

Poor Tsubasa was prone on his stomach with a feisty brunette on top of his back. She straddled both legs over his sides, pulling at his hair and pounding him like a mad woman. She screamed in rage as she reached for his face.

"Miss Sakura," Ruka pleaded. He could only watch on as his friend suffered. "Miss Sakura, please compose yourself. You'll really hurt him."

"How dare you!" Mikan screamed, ignoring simple reasoning. "How dare you make a fool out of me, you… dumbass!"

Hotaru continued to sip her tea as she sighed. "Too late, Ruka. She's lost it."

Youichi casually made his appearance as he came to stand from behind Natsume. His brows rose in admiration as he nudged his friend in the arm. "She's strong, Natsume-nii."

Tsubasa wailed for help. His hands scratched repeatedly at the floor as he desperately tried to get up. "Ah! Youichi, help, get her off! Get her off of me!"

"I'll make you pay!" Mikan screamed.

Natsume closed his eyes, pinching his nose as he exhaled a sigh. Was he seriously supposed to take this same mad woman before him to a prestigious ball next month?

"This is… crap."

**.**

So, remember how I said that I would try to stop writing long chapters? …Well, I lied.

I present to you this long chapter in which I tried to make fun for the awesome readers who support this story. But seriously, I am going to try to stop making my chapters so long. I don't want to kill you guys.

I hope you enjoyed it. Stay Blessed~


	19. Fashion in Action

**Disclaimer: **Only the story is mine.

**.**

C.P.- "Miss Doolittle, you look beautiful."

E.D.- "Thank you, Colonel Pickering."

C.P.- "Don't you think so, Higgins?"

P.H.- "…Not bad. Not bad at all."

**-Colonel Pickering, Eliza Doolittle, Professor Henry Higgins. My Fair Lady (1964)**

**Chapter 19: Fashion in Action**

**.**

**Wednesday, November 28th …**

This just didn't make sense…

His brown eyes studied the luxury of French décor decorated about the walls.

Aristocratic heirlooms and expensive vases were situated on top of shelves. A plant trimmed to look like that of a dollar sign was placed at every corner of the living room.

He could smell the scent of vanilla and lavender coming from the burning incense. He sat in the seat of a king-sized armchair with a cup of tea situated on top of his lap, and a tray of double-chocolate fudge was placed to his right.

As if the odd pampering wasn't enough, a young man with blonde hair and lavender eyes came to place two extra pillows just behind his head, and after giving a wink, he bid a flamboyant "Adieu," before taking his leave.

Furrowing his brows, the man scratched at his head of dirty-blonde hair and snorted.

This was strange... Just what the hell was going on, being given such cozy and comfortable treatment…?

"Ah, I'm glad to see that you could make it, Izumi."

Hearing the calling of his name, Izumi looked up to find a young woman with coal-black hair making her appearance.

Hotaru's purple eyes glistened with amusement as she situated herself down in a seat. "You look a little flustered." She called for Narumi to bring her a small cup of tea and looked back at her guest with a small smile. "Is something wrong?"

Arching a skeptical brow, Izumi shifted in his seat and asked, "What's with the whole warm and cozy welcome, eh, Imai?"

Miss Imai responded with a shrug. "What do you mean? You're a guest, and a guest should always feel welcomed."

Wrinkling his nose with a grunted "Hn," Izumi squinted his eyes as he took in his surroundings.

"This place is too good for someone like me," he said with a click of his tongue. "I'm invited as a guest in the presence of the rich, given a tray of chocolates and tea while sitting in the coziest chair that my butt has ever felt. I'm treated like royalty. That can only mean one thing…" He looked back at Miss Imai with narrowed eyes and said, "You're trying to frame me, ain't cha?"

"And what could I possibly frame you for?" Hotaru crossed one of her legs over the other while reaching out for a piece of chocolate. "Better yet, why would I waste the time?"

"That's what I'd like to know," Izumi murmured while taking a sip of his tea. "You didn't call me all the way out here from the Como district just for sipping tea and gulping down chocolates… I'll have you know that I've been in a lot of situations where I owed debts where people set me up like this before." He snorted, "I'm no fool."

Hotaru nonchalantly took a sip of her tea. "Trust me, Izumi. You don't have any debt for me that you need worrying about. If you did, I would have…'handled' you a long time ago, believe me. I don't play around when it comes to money."

"So what did you call me out here for then, eh?"

"Your way of speaking is terrible," Hotaru sneered, wrinkling her nose at such poor diction. She took another sip of tea. "I'm glad that Mikan has improved on her dialect at least."

"Little Mickey?" Izumi asked surprised. He laughed, patting his knee with a goofy grin. "How is my little kitten doing anyway, eh, Imai?"

"I'm glad you asked," Hotaru said blandly, "because that's exactly why I've decided to call you here."

Izumi arched a brow, shifted a little in his seat, and begrudgingly muttered, "Oh, hell…" He sat aside his cup of tea on a tray and pointed to Hotaru accusingly. "I knew it! I knew it. That Hyuuga kid did a turn on me, didn't he? He wants his $200.00 back, don't he? He wants to give little Mickey back to me, and push her on top of my shoulders. Well, I ain't doin' it. I've got my own mouth to feed and a wife to please. I don't have time for children."

"That's hardly the case," Hotaru droned apathetically. "Though money does play a specific part… But let's talk about that later."

Izumi opened his mouth to speak, but closed it with second thoughts. "What are you getting at?"

Rather than answering the question, Hotaru sighed and beckoned for Narumi.

Narumi appeared right on cue. "Oui, Madam," he said, bringing a gold-embedded envelope on a silver platter. He gave another respectful bow before handing the envelope to Izumi. "Here you are, sir."

Izumi took the envelope, brows furrowing in skepticism as he studied it from front to back. "What's this thing for, eh?"

"It's an invitation, you idiot," Hotaru answered plainly. "One of my close friends is holding a special ball in honor of his bakery on the eighth of December. Supposedly those who are invited can invite other friends to attend as well." She closed her eyes, taking another sip of her tea. "And it just so happens that I've decided to invite _you_."

Izumi eyed the envelope and wrinkled his nose as if catching onto the scent of a bad odor. "Well, you can have it back," he said, handing the invitation back to Narumi. "I don't have clothes for this sort of… eh… _soiree_, or whatever it is that you call it that requires me spending money on fancy things to look good in front of the rich. This is pointless. I'm not interested in─"

"Did I mention that there will be a lot of free food?" Hotaru quickly added. "I doubt that you are able to sink your teeth into delectable treats and meals while living in a poor district such as Como. Am I right?"

"Did I say pointless?" Izumi said, quickly snatching the envelope back from Narumi's hands. He laughed heartedly and patted his knee. "I meant that it's absolutely _reasonable_ to go to such a charitable event. I mean, you can't let all the free food that someone will put their heart and soul into cooking go to waste, can you? I'm too much of a respectable man to let something like that happen."

"I'm glad that you're excited." Hotaru sat aside her cup of tea and straightened up. "Anyway, I'm sure that you'll enjoy yourself. There will be a special… guest so to speak that will be making her grand entrance. I want you to be there to witness her special night."

Izumi cocked his head. "A special guest you say? Do I know her?"

"Of course," Hotaru nodded. She leaned over on the arm of her chair. "You did say once that if you witnessed Mikan walking down the balcony as a beautiful woman in a dress, that you would pay back your given amount of $200.00, correct?"

"Did I say that?"

"You did."

Laughing a little to himself, Izumi scratched at his dirty-blonde hair. "Haha, well now, this has definitely turned into a touchy subject." He shrugged and added, "Yeah, I said it. But I don't see what this has got to do with any ball."

A small grin of amusement played at Hotaru's lips. "You'll see soon enough," she assured her guest. "I'll be looking forward to seeing you on the night of December eighth, at seven o' clock. And don't worry about what to wear. If it helps, I'd be willing to give you a nice tuxedo before you leave today."

Izumi rubbed a hand over his chin. "So, I'll be able to arrive in style while eating free food. Sounds pretty good…" He snapped his fingers as if recalling a sudden memory, "Oh, but of course I'll be bringing along my wife. If she sees me coming home with a nice suit, I won't be able to hear the end of it, being questioned of where I got money to buy a good outfit and what not. She'll be wanting to come too, ya know."

"That's fine," Hotaru nodded. "The bigger the audience the better."

Izumi stretched out his arms with a good yawn. He patted his thigh and rose up from the comforts of his chair. "Well, Miss Imai, I'll be taking my leave as well as my new tuxedo that you promised me. I've got important things of my own too, ya know."

"Such as?"

"My favorite bar is gonna be closing in an hour or two," Izumi announced proudly, pulling at the straps of his trousers with a smug grin. He gave two clicks of his tongue and winked. "I've gotta make like the wind and jet."

"Hold on, Izumi," Hotaru suddenly called, having her guest to stop short. She gestured him to sit back down while adding, "There's just one more thing." Pondering on the words to come, she reached over for a small plate of chocolate-fudge. "I have a question that I've been… very curious about for quite some time."

Izumi arched a skeptical brow as he situated himself back down in his chair. He gestured a hand for Miss Imai to continue, "Shoot."

"As a father… why exactly did you leave Mikan to fend for herself?" Hotaru looked at the middle-aged man in curiosity. "Was it pure selfishness? Cold-heartedness?"

"Well, now…" Izumi scratched at his head, furrowing his brows. "I didn't expect to get such a touchy subject for a question."

"Your deceased wife went by the name of Yuka, am I correct?" Hotaru asked him. "She was your daughter's beloved mother, and after her passing, you had enough sheer will to move on with your life and right back into the arms of your previous wife."

Not expecting the sudden topic regarding his wife, Izumi stared back at the young woman in astonishment. Hotaru only smiled.

"I did a background check on Mikan and the results were astounding," she informed him while finishing off her small piece of chocolate fudge. "You happen to have another daughter named Misaki Harada, isn't that right? I happen to know her as well. Misaki is the child of your first wife and she's also Mikan's half-sister."

Izumi laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head. "Heh, your intelligence is a little scary, Miss Imai... You're quite a young woman."

Hotaru ignored the comment and asked, "Why did you let Mikan go off on her own, becoming a homeless commoner? I'm sure the pain of losing a mother was hard enough, but having her father disown her completely is going above the bar, don't you think?"

Izumi arched a brow and grinned. "Haven't you ever heard of what curiosity did to the cat?"

Miss Imai flashed a grin of her own. "Fortunately, for you, I'm not some gullible kitten brownnosing around. Now then… what were your reasons for leaving Mikan all alone? Are you really a simpleminded and selfish fool that I make you out to be?"

"Ah, so big with words…" Izumi muttered. "What's it to you what my reasons were for anyway, eh?"

"Believe it or not, but I'm quite fond of your daughter, Izumi. She has this certain…light about her? I enjoy her company more than you will ever know." Hotaru smiled a little to herself, thoughts tracing back to the face of a certain raven haired model. "And…I'm not the only one who's taken a liking to her."

"That right?" Izumi asked. He stared off in silence for a moment and sighed with a shake of his head. "Alright, you're a persistent little thing, so I'll tell ya…" He held up a finger and said, "But let's make this clear. I never abandoned little Mickey to fend for herself. I never disregarded her as my daughter."

Hotaru folded her hands underneath her chin and nodded. "Go on."

Izumi sighed again. "Yuka… she was the love of my life. She also had a light that could draw people to her and her smile…" He chuckled at the thought. "Man, did that woman have a smile… There was no prouder man than myself who could walk arm in arm with such a beautiful woman."

He closed his eyes and laughed a little to himself.

"She had a heart so big and a love so warm… When little Mickey was born, she had the brightest smile on her face. It was like the sun was smiling down on her. Ah, she loved little Mickey so much ─ never let her out of her sight in fact. Mickey had a smile just like her mother, and her brown eyes were so big and full of life."

A wistful smile thinned at his lips, and Hotaru could swear that she saw a tear at the corner of his eyes.

Izumi cleared his throat and continued, "But the thing is you see… Yuka was a big smoker. She already had troubles with her heart, and the nicotine pretty much did her in after so many years. And after Yuka died, well… Little Mickey took it real hard. She lost her smile and moped around like a lost kitten; it was killing me."

"Depression?" Hotaru asked him.

"Something like that," Izumi shrugged. "I didn't know what to do. There I was, a single father working two jobs with a little girl always waiting on me to come home, sitting in the dark all alone by herself… I couldn't pay the bills like I used to when Yuka was around, and it became too much. I lost it all: money, my house, everything. I had no choice but to move back to my hometown. Como was the only place left for us. After that, I ran into Misaki and her mother, and they seemed to be doing okay on their own."

A sigh escaped his lips as he pondered over the past memories. He patted his knee and grinned back up at Hotaru.

"Misaki was a few years older than Mickey, but she was still her sister. Misaki had a mother too. So," he shrugged, "I did what I thought was best. I remarried in hopes of lightening up Mickey's spirit, thinking that having a sister as well as another mother would help snap her out of her gloom and doom."

"And it worked?"

Izumi nodded, "Misaki was a great kid for little Mickey. She followed her around like a little puppy." His eyes saddened. "But that didn't suit so well with Misaki's mother. No, Yumiko was a bit more… on the jealous side. She never did like Yuka, and she took her bitterness out on Mickey. I didn't get much of a say, seeing as how I was the one living under her roof, abiding by how things worked in her household."

Hotaru folded both arms over her chest, arching a curious brow. Izumi sighed aloud and shook his head as he continued on.

"The only reason I still stay with that old bat for a woman is for the sake of money. You see… I get half a percentage of her savings out of our marriage. And if we were to divorce, well I'd hit the jackpot. Of course, I'm still sorting things out." He shifted upright in his seat and cleared his throat. "I've been working left and right for so many years now. I'd say I've got… a good amount of bucks saved up in the bank, (if I don't spend most of it on drinks at the bar)."

Hotaru's brows rose. "You actually work?" she asked surprised. "What reasons do you have for that?"

"Remember how I said that I get half of my wife's savings out of our marriage?" Izumi winked. "I'm going to put that half along with what I've been saving up in my account so that I can send little Mickey off to college, and hopefully… save up on a house of my own. It's always been Yuka's dream to see her daughter get an education, and I hated myself for letting Mickey suffer all alone. But you see… I had to toughen her up as a father. I had to. She was always a tough little girl anyway, but I didn't want her having to depend on others to put food in her mouth for the rest of her life. I wanted her to be strong like her mother."

Hotaru arched a brow. "And that called for… having her leave the nest?"

Izumi laughed. "After Misaki left Como, Mickey did the same shortly after that. She got sick of hearing Yumiko's nagging (which I don't blame her), and decided to fend for herself. It did me proud. But…I admit that I was a little hurt." He sighed and shrugged. "Ever since then, I've dedicated myself to working harder to provide a better life in replace for what I couldn't do. I'm doing it for Yuka as well…"

"If that's the case, why do you continue giving your daughter the cold shoulder?" Hotaru asked. "You don't seem to have any sort of...'regrets' whenever you see her."

"I just enjoy pushing her buttons that's all," Izumi laughed with a wink. "It's all in good fun. You can agree with me, can't ya, Miss Imai?"

"Interesting…"

Seeing that the idle chatter was finished, Izumi arose from out of his seat. He snapped his fingers and clicked his tongue as if forgetting something.

"Oh, but Miss Imai, you can't go blabbing off to Mickey of what I told ya, alright? If she found out my reasons for all of these years, my whole reputation as her father would be ruined." He shrugged in response to Hotaru's skeptic brow. "It's a father daughter thing."

Hotaru only smiled and stood up. "Well, I'm glad that we had this talk. This turned out to be quite eventful."

"Oh, one more thing before I go, Miss Imai," Izumi started. He held out an empty plate with a grin. "More chocolate-fudge?"

**.**

**Meanwhile, in the outskirts of Central Town…**

Casa de Bella

Come For the Finest Fashion Trends of the Century!

**Shop Ran By Fashion Icons: Youichi Hijiri and Tsubasa Andou**

Natsume stood in the front of the shop, eyes narrowing at the two familiar names on the sign.

He hated the fact that he had decided to come here, asking for help from two of his friends.

It wasn't in his nature to seek help from others. Asking for help just wasn't in his dictionary.

Still… if he calculated how things were going so far in his little game of turning his little street rat into a woman… then, he had to admit that things weren't really looking up.

His plans weren't going as well as he had hoped.

During his reigning moment at Club Alice, his little brunette had been doing favorably well with impressing the high socialites of the elite.

She had been perfect. She was talking respectfully, had the proper etiquette, and was always courteous towards those who wished to accompany her. It did him proud to know that Mikan Sakura was displaying herself as a proper young woman. He was so sure that the first test of his bet against Ruka was going to be his win.

In the end… everything turned upside down.

The charismatic Tsubasa Andou had decided to bring up an old memory involving him, a certain brunette, and a contaminated piece of German-chocolate cake. One thing led to the next, and Mikan's feisty wild spirit clawed its way through her civilized shell, going in for the kill as she lost all reason.

That was all it took for Natsume to lose his first win against Ruka. His blonde-haired best friend took the gold, and so far, Natsume found himself: 0 to 1. And that didn't sit well with him at all.

After his fatal defeat, he decided that drastic times called for drastic measures. There was nothing left to do but suck up his pride and see if he could pull off another win.

The grand ball in honor of Yuu Tobita's bakery was only in one week, and Natsume had to think fast of how he was going to win the second test against Ruka.

It would require Mikan to be prepped and ready for such a fashionable grand event, and only two people could turn that dream into a reality: Tsubasa Andou and Youichi Hijiri.

Both Tsubasa and Youichi now knew everything about his bet against Ruka, about how his reputation was on the line, and especially everything about Mikan Sakura. As much as he hated to admit, they were the only people that he could hope to count on at this moment in time…

Natsume sighed out a small curse of breath before turning to face the little brunette beside him. "Now remember," he said, holding up a finger as if to warn her, "I want you to be on your best behavior while we're here. That means no running off at the mouth, no test-touching, and no trying to kill Andou. Understand?"

Mikan looked from the raven haired model, to the shop, then back to Natsume again. She crossed both arms over her chest and frowned.

"I still don't see why we have to come here," she said, kicking a small pebble amongst the curb. "Is it really necessary to seek help from a stupid jerk like him? I can't stand that dumba─"

"Mikan," Natsume sternly interjected, using his finger to grab the brunette by her tongue. "Damn it all, woman. What did I just say?"

Flinching back from the firm grasp on her tongue, Mikan stomped both of her feet and whined, "Ah-kay, ah-kay, let go…!"

Natsume complied with his red eyes hardening as he stared at the brunette. "I'm serious. Behave yourself while we're here. If you're good, I might run by Tobita le' Gateau later on our way back home." He smirked in response to Mikan's excited expression and agreeable nod. "Good."

Now that he was able to get his point across, he could finally get down to business. Natsume approached the little Italian shop while giving a few hard knocks against the glass door and waited.

"Hold 'em up!" a voice called from behind the door.

The sound of trailing footsteps came about along with a few muttered grunts.

Then next, there was the sound of shifting locks with the door opening to reveal a handsome young man with jet black hair holding a bag of chips in his hand. His blue eyes widened then settled at his welcoming guest.

"Oh, hey there, Natsume," Tsubasa greeted with a potato chip still in his mouth. "You came a lot earlier than we thought."

Natsume clicked his tongue. "Enough with the chit-chat, Andou. Are you going to invite us in or not?"

"Us?" Tsubasa asked, scratching at his head. He was just about to ask what Natsume meant, until suddenly…

"Hi there."

Appearing from behind the raven haired model's shoulder, a little brunette stepped out with a friendly smile and waved. Confused, Tsubasa's eyes squinted together at the sight then widened in horror.

"Ah!" He gaped and pointed with a dropped jaw. "I-it's y-you…!"

Mikan smiled brightly in return. "Hello, it's nice to see you─"

_**Bam!**_

The door slammed shut.

Standing in silence with a glass door having been slammed right in front of her face, Mikan's smile diminished into a dark scowl.

"...I'm going to kill him."

"Keep the bad thoughts to yourself," was Natsume's curt reply. He sighed, running a hand through his hair and attempted to give another few knocks on the door. "Andou, hey. Open up."

It took a good while before Tsubasa decided to peek his face back through the door.

His blue eyes narrowed at the raven haired model through the crack of the door as he said, "No way, Natsume." He pointed accusingly to the brunette. "You never told me that you were bringing the wild cat with you. Pets aren't allowed here." He used his hand as if to swat away a fly while saying, "Shoo, shoo. Both of you be gone!"

One of Natsume's brows twitched with his jaw tensing. "Andou… you better open this damn door."

"Not until you get rid of the cat, man," Tsubasa defied. He shook his head and snorted. "I'm not letting you into my shop until she's gone and that's fi─"

_**Bam!**_

Poor Tsubasa never even saw it coming as the door went flying straight in his face with him stumbling backwards onto the floor.

He groaned and blinked twice, eyes slowly tracing up from the sight of short, slender legs all the way up to brown eyes and hair.

The woman's brows were creased into a malevolent scowl as she stared down at the young man in front of her.

"Ah!" Tsubasa gasped out, scooting himself back against the carpet floor. His brows furrowed as he pointed at the brunette in front of him. "W-what is it, huh? I'm not s-scared of y-you."

Mikan clenched both of her hands into fists. She let out a low growl, parted her lips to speak, and said, "I just wanted to say… that I'm sorry."

Wait… What?

Unable to comprehend the last sentence, Tsubasa blinked back confused. "…Huh?"

Mikan closed her eyes with a sigh. She looked at Tsubasa and approached him in which he flinched back in response. Her footsteps ceased suddenly, and then, she bowed her head before the young man.

"I'm sorry for my behavior from last time," she said, her voice earnest and pleading. "What I did to you was immoral, shrewd, and way beyond the inhibitions of a young lady. Even if you did do something horrible to me back in the past, it doesn't matter. The past is the past, and I need to learn to move on while learning from my mistakes. Please allow me to be a guest upon your humble abode."

Natsume stared at the brunette in awe as he crossed both of his arms over his chest. He clicked his tongue with a small smirk playing at his lips.

_Well, I'll be damn…_ he thought to himself.

Tsubasa was just as shocked as Natsume. Not sure how to respond, he rubbed the back of his neck and chewed on his bottom lip. "Ah… N-no, it's alright, I guess. I'm sorry, too." He shrugged his shoulders. "You're… more than welcome to stay if you want."

That was all it took to for Mikan to return a warm smile. Her brown orbs lit up excitedly as she gushed out, "Thank you so much!"

"Y-yeah…" Tsubasa held back a small blush, rubbing his nose in embarrassment.

The brunette extended a hand to help Tsubasa up from off of the floor. After giving him a good bear hug, she dashed off towards the middle of the room and started admiring the shop.

Everything was set up in such a unique and fashionable way.

It was like the shop was set between a crossroad of Hollywood, France, and Italy combined into one. Mikan's brown eyes studied the clothes hanging on racks and on nearby mannequins.

She marveled at a glittery-pink dress, letting her fingers run over the soft fabric of smooth silk. Natsume may have warned her not to go touching anything, but this was definitely an opportunity that she couldn't resist. It was too much fun!

"Look at this one!" she squealed, admiring a cream colored scarf.

Natsume snorted at her childish antics. His eyes rolled at the little brunette prancing about the shop. Seriously, you would think that she was in a candy store or something…

Tsubasa laughed a little as he came to pat his friend on the back. "She's really cute when you get a good look at her, Natsume."

"Where's Youichi?" Natsume asked nonchalant, purposely changing the subject.

"Oh, You-chan, this dress is just beautiful! I love it, baby!"

All heads turned in surprise to find a young woman appearing from around the corner of the room.

She came in wearing an exquisite violet gown, twirling about the room with her long hair flowing in the air. The ruffles of her dress floated along with her graceful strides as she flipped her hair and laughed.

Making his own entrance, a handsome young man with silver hair appeared. His teal-grey eyes studied the beautiful young woman with approval.

"Of course it is," he replied confident, his voice lax and monotone. "All of my pieces are a work of art."

The young woman giggled happily. "Youichi, you outdid yourself. I can't wait to wear this to my sister's party. Oh, she'll be so jealous!" She turned towards the three guests, twirling the ruffles of her dress as if posing for a picture. "Isn't it lovely? I look like an angel!"

She gave another squeal of delight and twirled her way over to give a good peck to Youichi's cheek. After giving a small bow, she took up her purse and pranced her way out of the shop.

Well, this was new… Skeptical of what was happening; Mikan cocked her head and arched a quizzical brow in Tsubasa's direction.

Tsubasa winked. "One of Youichi's girlfriends," he answered simply, shrugging his shoulders. "They come and go for his looks and knack for creating dresses."

"Hey there, Natsume-nii," Youichi greeted the raven haired model. His lips thinned into a grin. "I'm glad that you decided to come."

Natsume gave a grin of his own as he ruffled Youichi's silver hair. "Well, it's not like I had a choice, seeing as how you and Andou know about my little game." He sighed and added, "Ruka and I will have our bet coming to an end soon. I want to make sure that it's my win in the end. And for that… I need a genius."

Youichi arched a brow. "You're referring to Yuu's ball next week, right?" he asked. "You're hoping that I'm able to be of assistance in helping out your…" his eyes shifted over to a certain brunette, "…little 'friend' with her minor complications."

Natsume nodded. "What did you have in mind?"

"Mikan's going to need to know how to waltz properly," Tsubasa answered as he came to join in the conversation. He folded both hands behind his head and grinned. "After all, you are going to a ball, and there will be a lot of guests of wealth and famous nobility. If that's the case, then you're going to need all the help you can get."

Hearing those words made Natsume's stance go rigid. "Shit," he muttered sullenly, leaning back against the side of the wall. He groaned, rolling his eyes. "Waltzing? Seriously?"

Mikan blinked back aloof. "Waltzing? What's that?"

Tsubasa laughed, patting Mikan's brown head of hair. "It's a ballroom dance in triple time, involving two people partnering up as a couple," he replied knowingly. "It's commonly popular among balls. You'll be learning how to do it today."

"C-couple?" Mikan repeated, blushing at the word. She gulped and looked at Natsume.

Suddenly, she felt a little awkward and hopeful all at once. Would that mean… that she and Natsume would be a couple at the ball?

"Tsubasa will be teaching you how to waltz," Youichi said. "When it comes to balls, a woman should at least look and arrive fashionably dressed in the appropriate attire." His eyes hardened as he studied the little brunette before him. "That means that you and I have a lot of work to do."

Mikan arched a brow. "Meaning…?"

"You're going to be fitted for a dress." Youichi sighed as he said the words. "I hope you're ready to be measured. Let's head back to the dressing room."

Mikan's face instantly fell. Oh. Hell. No…

"Wha─?" She gawked back at Natsume in disbelief. "You expect me to go into a dressing room with a man? W-what the hell is with this? I don't remember hearing about that plan!"

Natsume frowned in return. "Look, if that's what Youichi wants, then just do it. Because of your stupid actions from the last event, the win for my bet has been heading in Ruka's direction, and I'm not going to stand for it. I've got my pride and reputation on the line," he neared his face closer to Mikan's as he finished, "and that's final, little girl."

Mikan frowned. "You… jerk! You knew this the whole time, didn't you? You knew that I was going to be fitted for a dress from the very start. I can't believe─"

"Mikan…"

Before the brunette could finish, she suddenly found herself coming face to face with a pair of teal-grey eyes.

Youichi gripped a hold to Mikan's chin in between his forefinger and thumb, forcing her to look at him fully.

"It is Mikan, isn't it? Let's get one thing straight." He clicked his tongue and said, "Clearly this little bet is important to Natsume-nii. In other words, it's important to me as well. So, I'm going to be giving my all by playing my part in helping him win. If that's going to happen, then you're going to have to stop complaining at the mouth."

His monotone voice was calm, but stern all in one. Mikan stirred underneath the handsome young man's icy glare. Strange… It was almost as if she was staring back at Natsume.

"You're an obedient little girl, aren't you?" Youichi continued. "I take it that you don't like causing trouble for others. I'd appreciate it if you would cooperate a little more. Besides," his lips curved into a smug grin, "it's not the first time that I've been back in a fitting room alone with a woman. I've seen countless feminine physiques, so you can rest assured that nothing… _immoral_ will happen to you. Understand?"

Mikan gulped and swallowed, slowly nodding her head with a small blush.

Tsubasa snorted and gave a nudge to Natsume's arm. "He's been hanging out with you too much..."

Youichi guided Mikan to the dressing room while turning to call over his shoulder, "Give us a few minutes. This won't take long."

**.**

Sitting patiently with both legs spread out on top of a sofa, Natsume leaned back and placed a pillow on top of his face.

Damn, he could sure use a good cigarette right about now. Youichi was taking way too long. Surely doing a fitting for a dress didn't have to take _this_ long.

Tsubasa was busy having his own little fun as he sat in his rolling chair, repeating the few spins with his foot.

He rested his chin on top of his chair and furrowed his brows in deep thought. "Hey… Natsume."

It took five long seconds, a curse of breath, and a sigh before Natsume drawled, "…What?"

Tsubasa wrinkled his nose. "You don't have to sound so upset. Anyway, I've been wondering… What made you and Ruka want to make a bet on that Mikan girl, huh?" He chewed on his bottom lip. "I mean this_ is_ the same homeless woman from back then. She doesn't have a home, isn't famous or rich, (though she's pretty hot), and I don't get what made you two create such a game in the first place."

Natsume removed his pillow away from his face with his red eyes lazily peeling over to Tsubasa. "All for fun," he replied blandly. "We were bored with the usual, so we decided to entertain ourselves a bit."

"Fun, huh?" Tsubasa said, musing over the thought. "Hm… I guess I can see where you're coming from. But what about Mikan?"

"What about her?"

Tsubasa shrugged. "Well, she's playing her part in this bet too, right?" He did a good spin to his chair and said, "I mean… if she's doing all this work just to help you win… is it really all for 'fun' for her, too?"

Appearing to be bothered by the sudden topic, Natsume shifted upright on the sofa and stared back in annoyance. "What are you trying to say?"

"Hey, man, I was just saying. The girl seems to like you a lot, and I mean a whole lot." Tsubasa grinned at Natsume's irritated scowl. "If it's just fun and games for right now, then what will happen after the winner is decided? What will happen to her?"

Natsume blinked back twice. What would happen to Mikan after the bet was over? Did… that even matter right now?

He hadn't thought things over that far… But it wasn't like he should care at this moment in time, right?

Feeling annoyed, he shrugged the thought away and snorted. "This talk is stupid."

"But─"

"I said it's stupid," Natsume demanded. "So, shut up about it."

"I'm ready…"

Natsume's ears perked up at the sound of the brunette's voice. He clicked his tongue, pulling himself up from off of the sofa with a satisfied sigh.

He turned around, ready to witness the finished work. "Good, it's about damn time. I was getting tired of…"

His words ceased. His brows rose. His jaw tensed.

Looking on in disbelief, Natsume found his throat suddenly going drier than a desert.

The woman before him was… absolutely stunning. Was this really the same little brunette from earlier?

His ruby orbs studied Mikan's figure from top to bottom, taking in the big picture.

She was dressed in a strapless, royal blue gown where the hem was opened through for her slender legs. Her hair which was normally unkempt and tangled was silk-like smooth as it hung freely at her shoulders, curls and all. Natsume took in her voluptuous curves, feeling his hormones pumping like crazy.

Mikan tensed a little, fiddling her fingers together as she blushed and looked down to the floor. "W-what is it? Do I look bad…?"

Natsume's lips parted, but he was quite… unsuccessful for words. "You… You look… look…"

A light whistle came about along with a laugh. "You look hot, Mikan!" Tsubasa exclaimed, coming over to give a light pat on her head. "Whew! Youichi outdid himself on this one, didn't he?"

"There's no reason to get so excited, Tsubasa," Youichi drawled, coming out from behind the red curtain. He folded both arms over his chest. "This is just a practice test. The real masterpiece will be ready on the night of the ball. I just wanted to test Mikan out in this dress for the waltzing session."

Mikan smiled at Youichi and turned to look at the raven haired model that was still caught in a daze. "What do you think, Natsume?" she asked him. "Do I look okay?"

Blinking back into realization, Natsume rubbed the back of his neck and grunted out, "…It's great."

Tsubasa laughed at his friend. "Aw, he's blushing," he teased, coming over to give a playful poke to Natsume's cheek. "Who knew the cold-hearted _"I get any woman I want, 'cause I'm cool like that,"_ bad boy could blush so─"

Before the idiot could finish, Natsume gave a hard knock to his head, having him fall to the floor. He snorted and gave an approving nod to Mikan.

"You look great," he muttered. He gulped again. Oh, who was he kidding?

The woman looked gorgeous, standing all cute and innocent in front of him with her two front teeth overlapping her bottom lip in a way that was driving him mad. He wanted so badly to kiss her right now…

"Alright, Tsubasa," Youichi said, giving a good kick to the young designer who was still lying lifelessly on the floor. "Get up already. It's time for you to play your part."

Tsubasa stirred, coming back from the dead as he groaned. He grunted, fixing the collar to his shirt as he muttered, "How come I'm the only one getting pushed around today?" He cleared his throat and snapped his fingers to Natsume. "Anyway, why don't you and Mikan go ahead and pair up, Natsume. Go on, I want you two paired together, hand in hand."

Mikan suddenly went tense. "Hand in hand?"

Natsume didn't appear to get the instructions either. He stood face to face in front of the brunette, not really sure what he was supposed to do.

Tsubasa rolled his eyes. "Here, it's like this. Get closer together," he instructed, forcing the two of them to close up their bit of space. He placed Mikan's small palms into Natsume's calloused hands. "Hold them like that."

Ready to get on with the lesson, Youichi went ahead and inserted a disc into one of his audio systems. He turned up the volume to his speakers, and _Tchaikovsky's Waltz from Serenade for Strings_ begun playing aloud.

Mikan and Natsume looked at each other nervously, both of them unsure of what to do.

Youichi clapped both hands for their attention. "We'll see how well she is at waltzing. Natsume-nii, you lead."

"Hey, I'm the one giving instructions, Youichi," Tsubasa pointed out. He pushed the silver-haired young man off towards the side of the wall and said, "So, just go stand over there or something." He rubbed his hands together, turning back to the couple. "Alright, you guys ready? Okay. Natsume, you lead."

Natsume nodded and took Mikan's hand in his. Doing his best to match with the tempo of the music, he moved his legs accordingly but not very… successfully.

Mikan stepped on his foot, mouthing a small "Sorry," and a smile. She did most of the movement while leading him back and forth.

"No, no, no," Tsubasa disapproved. He came to tap the brunette on her shoulder while saying, "Not like that. Look, Mikan, you're the girl. Girls don't lead, only the guys do." He clapped his hands. "Come on. Try again, from the top."

Natsume exhaled sharply. Hell, the stupid lesson just started, and he was already feeling pissed off.

As if the lame music wasn't already enough, he just couldn't seem to make things worth with his partner. Mikan continued to stagger while repeating the few stomps to his feet.

That was it. No more ruining his fashion-branded sneakers. "I hate this," he groaned, waving his hand in the air as if giving up. "It's not working right."

Tsubasa sighed. "Geez, you're such a drama queen." He pushed the spoiled brat out of the way and took over. "Here, move out of the way. Let a pro show you how it's done."

Youichi snorted faintly. "You sure you know what you're doing?"

Tsubasa narrowed his eyes at his friend and muttered, "Yesss, I know what I'm doing." He pulled the brunette closer to his chest, intertwining their fingers together. "Alright, Mikan, I want you to scoot in just a little more. Yeah, there we go that's it. Now, let me do all of the leading, okay?"

"O-okay," Mikan nodded.

Tsubasa tapped his foot, keeping up with the tempo of music. Using his legs, he added a light bounce to his waltz as he guided Mikan along with him. He was flawless, graceful like that of a swan as he led her across the room.

Youichi whistled lightly. "He's pretty good."

Leaning against the wall with both hands shoved into his pockets, Natsume chewed on his cheek. "…I can do that."

Still gliding with grace, Tsubasa chuckled lightly. "You're not half bad, Mikan," he approved. He winked with a smug grin. "Did anyone ever tell you how big and beautiful your brown eyes are?"

Mikan blushed and smiled. "Y-you think they're beautiful?"

Witnessing the whole scene, Natsume twitched with a tensed jaw. Oh, hell no.

Ready to break things up, he pushed himself away from the wall and briskly strode his way over to the pair. He forced Tsubasa to the side and pulled Mikan to his chest.

"Alright, it's my turn. Move." He intertwined his fingers with his partner's, and clicked his tongue. "Hand in hand, right?"

Tsubasa nodded approvingly. "Yep. Now, make sure that you're both close enough, but not too close. Be the guide that's leading her through the night. Be the prince that's charming his princess. Be the─"

"Dammit, I get it, already," Natsume grunted out. He pulled Mikan by her waist and began pacing with the music.

Becoming one with the music, the young heir proved to be very light on his feet. He stood on the tips of his toes, guiding his partner like a butterfly flowing with the wind. Mikan was amazed by how well he could lead.

She smiled to herself, laughing at the thought. Of course this was to be expected… Natsume was known for his dominating personality, him leading a waltz really shouldn't surprise her.

Watching the couple glide across the room, Youichi nodded with an arched brow. "He's not half bad either."

Tsubasa shrugged. "Eh, I've seen better…"

Both Natsume and Mikan were waltzing timely with the music. She followed his every lead, stepping forward whenever he stepped backwards, moving to the side when he directed her to do so, and glided to his side whenever she was pulled by the arm. Her partner wasn't bad at all.

"You're pretty good at this," she complimented him.

Natsume shrugged indifferently. "I'm used to waltzing. My mother would always host special balls back then when I was a child. It's… simple."

Mikan arched a skeptic brow. "But you didn't seem too confident earlier," she pointed out with a smug grin. "What happened? Change of mood?"

Tensing a little at the shoulders, Natsume snorted and looked off to the side. "You could say that…"

Mikan laughed as she found herself being twirled by the hand. "This is pretty fun, huh?"

Natsume rolled his eyes. "You're such a child."

The brunette pouted her cheeks and frowned. "Hey, it's okay to act childish sometimes, Natsume." She shook her head and flashed a genuine smile. "You should try it sometime."

At that moment, Natsume could feel his chest become hot as his heart skipped a beat. Had her smile always been this beautiful before…?

His eyes studied her features, how her fat cheeks were highlighted in bliss, her sensual lips, and the goofy grin on her face.

He smirked to himself in thought. _She's such a kid…_

Mikan took the time to admire her partner as she twirled about. She stared into his crimson eyes, loving how they appeared to be beckoning to her soul as they blazed brilliantly. Thoughts of the handsome man circulated in her head.

_His eyes are so beautiful. They really are just like rubies… And his hands are so big. I can't believe that I'm touching him so close like this…_

She suddenly found herself being pulled close to his chest. Inhaling his sweet, cinnamon-wood scent, she rested her head against his hard body and closed her eyes as they swayed slowly.

_His chest, it's… so warm. I… I don't want to be apart from him. I… like this._

"I'm getting a little dizzy," Natsume suddenly muttered, breaking the brunette away from her thoughts.

Mikan blinked and smiled up at him. "Yeah, me too."

The music gradually descended into the background, fading into a silent dissonance. Natsume followed suit as his movements slowed, and then he stopped.

He stared into Mikan's hazel eyes and whispered, "Maybe we should stop…"

Mikan looked back into his red orbs and nodded. "We have stopped…"

Muttering a small, "Oh," Natsume looked away to the side as his eyes slowly flickered back to the brunette. It was strange… The dance was over and yet their fingers were still intertwined as one. Their bodies were so close…

Her wrists were so small… She was so fragile, so… tempting.

All he could see was the color of brown as he stared into her eyes. Unsure of what he was doing, Natsume closed in what little space was left between them, and bent his face towards her own.

Mikan gulped, but didn't move. Her heart fluttered uncontrollably at the sudden closeness. She could feel his hot breath tickling against her neck.

Natsume rested a hand against her back, pushing her closer to him. He inched his face closer to her neck, inhaling her tangerine scent. His eyes closed as he whispered, "Mikan…"

Loving the feel of his touch, Mikan closed her eyes. "Yes?"

His lips brushed lightly over hers and she hitched a breath, ready to take in what was to come.

He stood still for a moment longer, and then… opened his eyes while slowly moving himself away from her face.

He cleared his throat, breaking the moment. "You're doing a great job," he said, patting her head with a small grin. "Keep up the good work. The ball's only a week from now, but… I'm sure you'll do great on Saturday night."

Mikan felt disappointed but was quick to smile. "Y-yeah…" She nodded and said, "I'll make sure to help you win your bet. After all, I… did make that promise."

Natsume rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah…" He gave a friendly pat to her shoulder before walking off. Hoping to brush off the awkward moment, he brushed past Tsubasa and Youichi while muttering, "I'm stepping out for a cigarette."

Tsubasa snorted as the young heir took his leave. He shook his head, nudging Youichi in the arm with a smug grin. "That brat… He's not honest with his feelings at all."

Mikan was still caught in her own little trance as she stood in the middle of the room.

The odd sensation of warmth continued to surge throughout her body, almost like her heart was melting down in her chest.

She touched her lips. Natsume was so close to kissing her, she was so sure of it. And she so badly wished that he had.

Her body ached for his touch, wanting the seductive scent of him to flow all around her. She gasped at her inner thoughts, and smiled to herself.

_I think…I'm in love with Natsume._

**.**

Special Hint: Big surprise in the next chapter. ;)

Thanks so much for reading!


	20. Cinderella for a Night

**Disclaimer: **Noooo.

**.**

E.D.- "I could've danced all night, and still have begged for more…"

**-Eliza Doolittle. My Fair Lady (1964)**

**Chapter 20: Cinderella for a Night**

**.**

**Friday, December eighth, 7:00pm…**

The stars were shining like glitter amidst a dark night sky. A large, granite marble sign that read: _Tobita Ball _was centered over an archway.

Limos were parked just on the outside of a grandeur mansion. Women dressed in beautiful gowns and exquisite dresses entered in one by one with a handsome partner dressed in a fine tux next to their side.

The dining area was filled with crowds of the rich and elite. A majestic chandelier hung gallantly from the ceiling, sparkling up the marble floor. Freshly baked desserts and other delectable entrées were situated nicely upon a long table, making it look like that of a grand buffet.

Glasses of cheers clanked together as friends laughed aloud while enjoying a nice sip of wine. A small orchestra was situated on a stage as they played the fine arts of classical music. The dance floor was filled with loving couples as they swayed to the graceful tempo of the music.

Everyone appeared to be enjoying themselves.

"Kyaa! Natsume, dance with me!"

"No, Natsume, dance with me!"

Well… almost everyone.

Leaning against a wall with both arms crossly folded over his chest and a disenchanted frown etched upon his face, a handsome raven haired bachelor sighed dejectedly.

Natsume muttered a few curses under his breath, clearly not wanting to be bothered by the annoying women crowding around him. Girls squealed at the top of their lungs, some fainted; some even started bawling from dire happiness.

"Hey! Get lost, all of you!"

A beautiful strawberry-blonde snarled through her teeth as she came to enwrap a hand around Natsume's arm. She glared daggers at all of the unwanted female guests and sent them scurrying off in ten seconds flat.

Luna looked up to bat her flirtatious lashes at the handsome man. "Natsume," she cooed, "I've been looking all over for you."

The raven haired model flinched in disgust from the woman's touch. His stance went rigid as he groaned, "What is it now, Luna?"

The blonde giggled playfully, tracing a finger over the man's well-built chest. "That tuxedo outlines your body perfectly, love. And your scent…!" She inhaled and sighed. "Oh, it smells wonderful. Hey, Natsume, why don't you come dance with me, hm?"

"Get lost," was Natsume's drawled reply as he tried to shake the woman away from his arm.

Luna didn't mind the cold tone. "Oh, Natsume, sweetheart," she chuckled. "I'm not letting go until you agree to dance with me. After all, this is a ball. Dancing is permitted, silly."

"Yeah, Natsume, why don't you give the girl a dance, already?"

Hearing the familiar teasing voice, Natsume sighed and shifted his narrowed glare over to another annoying presence. A handsome red-headed young man approached the model with a pat on his back.

Reo grinned at Natsume's sour frown. "Now, what's with that look? Come on, you should at least give your girlfriend a dance."

"She's not my girlfriend," Natsume deadpanned, still trying to push Luna away from his chest. "And I'm not dancing. I don't plan on doing any of that crap, tonight."

Reo snorted, "That right? Then why did you bother showing up?"

Refusing to answer the question, Natsume tensed a little and grunted while looking away. "That's… none of your business."

Laughing a little to himself, Reo shrugged. "Ah, well that's fine, I guess. But I plan on using this ball to my every advantage…if you know what I mean." His teal-green eyes seemed to tease Natsume as he winked. "I'm looking forward to seeing how sexy and stunning your cousin, Mikan, will look tonight. By, the way, where is she?"

_This bastard…_ Natsume thought to himself.

Every time the fool decided to show up and talk about a certain brunette, Natsume's blood would start to boil as if he was losing his breaking point.

"All you ever talk about is that woman, Reo," Luna snorted, wrinkling her nose at her cousin. "Honestly, she didn't seem to have much taste when I was talking to her. Natsume, baby, are you two really related?"

"Hey, look, it's Natsume and the others!"

Wearing an excited smile, a beautiful pink-haired woman appeared with the rest of the gang following behind. Anna waved at Natsume with Sumire and Koko tagging along beside her. "I'm glad to see a lot of familiar faces. Everyone looks so nice in their tuxedos and dresses." She looked around as if in search. "And I wonder where Yuu is… He hasn't showed up, yet."

Pulling Koko along by his ear, Miss Sumire Shouda cleared her throat and announced, "The perfect couple has arrived, everyone!" She flipped her green hair over her shoulder and twirled to model her glamorous emerald gown. "Don't I look lovely?"

Rolling his eyes at his dramatic girlfriend, Koko nudged Natsume in the arm and whispered, "Don't entertain her too much. It'll go to her head."

"Well, Sumire," Luna yawned, smirking slyly, "I hate to burst your bubble, but Natsume and I will be the ones taking the 'Best Couple Award' for tonight." She grabbed the hot model's arm. "Isn't that right, Natsume, baby?"

Reo laughed, patting Natsume on his shoulder. "Congrats, man. You and Luna make a fine couple, indeed."

Natsume groaned, wishing that the two idiot relatives would just leave already. "Will you two just leave me alone?"

Reo smirked and said, "I'm having too much fun."

"Dance with me!" Luna whined, wrapping her hands around the bottom half of Natsume's waist.

Watching everything from afar, a very amused Ruka couldn't help but laugh at the sour frown on his best friend's face. He stood with a wine glass in hand, grinning at the expense of a raven haired model bristling in resent. "Poor Natsume…"

"Enjoying yourself, chef?"

The handsome blonde turned to find a beautiful young woman approaching him.

Her coal-black hair was pulled back into a nice bun with jewels embedded within her headband and a few bangs caressing her cheeks. She looked stunning, wearing a gown of periwinkle and lavender that went well with her amethyst violet eyes.

Hotaru flicked the hot chef on the forehead. "Come back to life already, Nogi. You're drooling at the mouth."

Ruka blushed as he defended, "I am not!" He wiped his mouth just to be safe and cleared his throat. Admiring the beautiful woman before him, he smiled and said, "You look… great, Hotaru."

She grinned, loving the expense of witnessing the young chef getting so embarrassed. Giving a light shrug of the shoulders, she replied, "I know. This dress was made by yours truly, a perfect piece of art."

Ruka laughed, "Of course."

"By the way," Hotaru started, a small smile thinning at her lips as she focused on a certain raven haired model. "I see that my cousin is having his own bit of fun by talking with Reo and Luna."

Laughing again, Ruka grinned and took a sip of wine from his glass. "Oh man, I do feel for him. He's been wilting against that side of the wall for about two hours now."

Ah, now it all makes sense... Hotaru's violet eyes lazily shifted over to Ruka. "He's wondering where Mikan is, isn't he?"

Ruka nodded, "You got it."

"That idiot…" Hotaru snorted under her breath. "Honestly, if he's going to just sulk beside a wall all day, he should at least look cheerful. By the time Mikan makes her arrival, his frown will be creased so deep into his forehead that he'll probably scare her away."

"Which reminds me," Ruka said, taking another sip of wine. "Where is Miss Sakura, Hotaru? And I haven't seen Yuu around, either. I know those two wouldn't plan on showing up late…would they?" His brows rose in skepticism at the sight of Hotaru's grin.

Uh-oh… He knew that grin… It was her grin for being mischievous.

Hotaru sighed and patted Ruka's shoulder. "Say, chef," she started, smiling up at the handsome man, "don't you know that it's best to arrive fashionably late?"

"Okay, Hotaru… What did you do?"

"Whatever do you mean?"

"…You're planning something, aren't you?"

Hotaru snorted, crossing both arms over her chest. "You're no fun," she muttered blandly as she decided to walk off. "I've changed my mind. I don't think I feel like asking you for a dance, tonight."

That one sentence was all it took for Ruka to exclaim, "Dance?" He choked on his next sip of wine and dashed after his admirable crush. "Wait, Hotaru, what did you say? Come back!"

**.**

**Meanwhile, beside the grand buffet…**

A young woman was busy enjoying herself while stacking a plate of freshly baked cookies onto a plate.

Her carmine-pink hair was situated into a ponytail that hung freely upon her shoulder, and she was dressed in a beautiful red cocktail dress that sparkled like glitter. Ready to savor a taste of chocolate, she bit off of a piece of her cookie and sighed in delight.

"Hey! Misaki!"

The woman nearly choked on her next bite of cookie as she heard a familiar voice call out her name. She unwillingly turned her head to find a handsome young man with jet black hair coming her way.

Like always, he was one of fashionable taste, dressed in a nice tux. His companion next to him didn't look too bad, either. He wore a fashionable suit with his silver hair spilling over his face with a lukewarm expression.

Misaki irresolutely greeted, "Hey Tsubasa. Hey there, Youichi."

Youichi nodded in return, "Hey, Misaki, long time no see."

Clearing his throat with the _"I'm more of importance here," _cough, Tsubasa made his presence known. He grinned at Misaki, reaching out for her hand to plant a small kiss. "I've been looking for you all night."

Misaki pulled her hand away and clicked her tongue, "Ah, have you now?" She sighed dejectedly. "Well, you found me. And now… I think I'm going to go hide again."

"Oh, no you don't," Tsubasa grunted, reaching out to stop the woman by her arm. "I'm not gonna let you slip away from me this time. You've been avoiding me for a long time, but not tonight."

Rolling her eyes, Misaki tapped her foot at the floor impatiently. "Just who gave you the right to tell me what to do, huh?"

"He doesn't like losing," Youichi drawled, shrugging his shoulders. He eyed Misaki's plate of desserts. "Can I have those cookies?"

Misaki nodded and handed it to Youichi, "Go for it."

Tsubasa tussled at his black bangs, groaning in frustration. "What's with you, Misaki?" he asked her. "There are a lot of girls. A lot of girls would love to go out with a top notch fashion designer like me. I've got the face and the talent. So, what's your problem?"

"She doesn't like pretty boys," Youichi answered blandly, stuffing his face with another bite of chocolate-chip cookie.

Misaki shook her head. "Look, Tsubasa," she sighed. "Maybe you should give up. Okay? I-I mean this, us, _we._ We… don't make sense together. You're just a hopeful pretty boy who likes to get attention and I'm just not attracted to that."

Tsubasa couldn't believe his ears. He pointed to himself as given evidence while saying, "What? You… Don't you see how good I look in this tux? I mean, come on, Misaki. What's it gonna take? I think you're just stuck up. Yeah…that's it. You think you're too good to date someone like me, don't you?"

Oh, wow… This man could be so full of himself sometimes. Misaki put a finger to her chin, eyeing him in disbelief. "That's right," she snorted. "I'm too good. I'm too good to date someone who just so happened to spit in my little _sister's_ chocolate cake."

Wondering what the hell the woman was talking about, Tsubasa stared back with a puzzled look. "What are you talking about?"

Misaki arched a brow and said, "You don't know? Come on, Tsubasa, think. Think real hard back to that one night at The Melting Pot, involving a little brunette and a piece of German chocolate cake... Come on."

Tsubasa scratched at his head, brows furrowing in deep thought. After five long seconds, his brows rose, his lips parted into a gasp, and his blue eyes widened. "Wait...that… You couldn't be… S-she, _**she**_ couldn't be…"

Misaki only smiled. "Mikan Sakura? Yep, that's right. She's my little sister." She patted Tsubasa's shoulder. "We got to spend a lot of quality time together not too long ago, and I had the pleasure of hearing a funny story of how you two first met. Cool, right?"

Tsubasa's jaw dropped. "Say wha…?" He couldn't believe the news. "Mikan's… your sister. M-Mikan Sakura?"

Misaki rolled her eyes. "Isn't that what I just said?"

The thought hadn't settled in just yet.

For Tsubasa, this was all so sudden. The woman that he constantly found hard to get was… actually related to the same woman that he had disrespected, (not to mention the same woman who had tried to kill him)? His chances at getting Misaki were ruined.

He couldn't believe it. He actually… spat in Misaki's little sister's cake. He… Him. What… No… that just… No way…

Misaki noticed the poor wretch caught in a long daze. She snapped her fingers for his attention. "Tsubasa? Hello?" She waved a hand in front of his face for a reaction. "No good. He's out…"

Youichi shook his head. "This idiot…" He grabbed a hold of the still awestruck Tsubasa by the arm, and began dragging him away. "Come on, stupid. You need a glass of wine."

"Hey, lookie over there! It's my little girl, Misaki!"

As if on cue, a sudden flamboyant and gruff voice called out from across the room. Misaki knew that voice all too well. Shoulders scrunching up to her neck, she gasped, rolled her eyes to the back of her head, and muttered, "Oh, hell…"

She unwillingly turned her head to find a familiar man with dirty-blonde hair dressed in… a fashionable tuxedo? He came making his way across the floor with a goofy grin on his face and a middle-aged looking woman enwrapped around his arm.

Izumi scanned his daughter from the bottom up. "Well, now, look at this," he said with a click of his tongue. He laughed heartedly. "Yumiko, take a good look at your daughter. Doesn't she look lovely?"

The woman next to Izumi's side eyed Misaki from head to toe. "Now this is a surprise. Misaki, dear, I didn't know that you would be here."

This just couldn't be happening…

Misaki gaped at the pair before her, brows raised in disbelief. She pointed at them accusingly. "Old man? M-mom? W-what are you two doing here?"

Izumi grinned while situating his tie. "We've been invited, pumpkin," he said with a wink. "The honorable Miss Imai gave us the pleasure of coming to this, eh… prestigious fancy ball, tonight. And I had to bring my wife along with me too, ya know?"

Yumiko flipped out a small fan with her nose high in the air. "That's right," she added, fanning herself like a queen. "I'm here for the food and the company of all the rich. Only those who are important can be here, tonight."

Misaki snorted, "You're kidding… Two _Como_ residents actually got into a ball?"

"By the way, Misaki," Izumi started, giving his daughter a nudge to her arm. "Your mother and I have been running a little low on, eh…'financial' supplies, if ya know what I mean."

This was nothing new. Skeptical of what was to come; Misaki arched a brow, folding both arms over her chest. "What are you trying to get at, old man?"

Izumi popped his neck a little, running a hand through his dirty-blonde hair. "Well, seeing as how you've got your own business and have a lot of money, we thought… Well, why not lend your folks a couple of bucks or so? Let's say, like… one-thousand dollars?"

And the weasel comes out…

Misaki snorted under her breath, gave a click of her tongue, and said, "I don't know you." She brushed past her two so called, 'relatives,' and decided to take her leave. "Please leave me alone."

"Oh, wait, wait," Izumi called after his daughter as she left. He waved a hand in the air and cried, "Make sure to send it in cash, Misaki!"

Hoping to hide her face behind her fan, Yumiko nudged her foolish husband in the arm and said, "Izumi, you're embarrassing me…"

"Ah, this must be your wife, Izumi," came a monotone voice from behind.

Izumi turned his head with eyes widening in surprise to find a familiar woman with black hair and purple eyes. "Here she is!" he exclaimed happily. "Miss Imai, it's good to see you again. I didn't disappoint you by coming for the free food." He gestured his head to the woman beside him and winked, "This is my wife, Yumiko. The one I've been 'telling' you about?"

Hotaru studied the red-headed woman with a small smile. "So it is," she said, extending a hand towards the wife. "Izumi's told me so much about you."

Yumiko completed the handshake and nodded, "It's an honor to meet you, Miss Imai." She sighed admirably. "You don't know how happy I was to receive an invitation to come to such a grand event like tonight."

Miss Imai shrugged her shoulders with indifference. "Of course it comes with perks. I wanted the two of you to be here to witness a very special night for a very special friend of mine."

"Yeah, you did mention that before," Izumi said, rubbing his chin. He arched a curious brow. "So who is she, eh? When will we see this 'special' friend of yours?"

Just before Hotaru had the chance to reply, the lights suddenly dimmed all around the room.

The band gradually faded their music into a decrescendo. Couples on the dance floor slowed as they came to a stop. Whispered murmurs erupted all around the room, everyone curious as to what was going on.

A small grin thinned at Hotaru's lips. She looked to Izumi and clicked her tongue expectantly. "I think you're about to find out."

Confused by the turn of events, Natsume and the rest of the gang stopped with the idle conversation and started looking around about the dark room. Things were definitely starting to become strange… First, there was no sign of a certain brunette or the host of the ball, and now the lights were being dimmed. Just what was going on?

Reo gave a light whistle as he studied the dark lit area around him. "Now this is new," he mused in thought. "Do balls normally dim their lights like this?"

Luna tapped her foot at the floor, pouting out her lip. "Well, I don't like it. The band stopped playing the music, and now I can't dance with Natsume."

Natsume ignored the annoying woman clinging to his arm while scanning about the room. "This is weird… I wonder where that little girl is, anyway…"

"Hey, Natsume-nii."

The young heir turned to find a young man with silver hair approaching him. "Youichi," Natsume greeted simply. He arched a skeptic brow, wrinkling his nose at the sight of a lifeless Tsubasa being dragged along Youichi's shoulder. "What the hell happened to him?"

Youichi gave a small shrug of his shoulders and sighed. "He's delusional at the moment. After he made a fool of himself in front of Misaki, he passed out dead."

Tsubasa raised his head and released a howling moan like a ghost. "I'm dead… _Dead_… Natsume…." He staggered over to the raven haired model, gripping him by the collar. "Did you know that Mikan was Misaki's little sister? Did you, huh?"

"Get off of me," was Natsume's dried reply as he shook the idiot away from his tuxedo.

"By the way," Youichi started while looking at Natsume. "I noticed that all of the lights have dimmed. Is it about time for 'her' to show up?"

Natsume arched a curious brow. "Who?"

Youichi blinked back twice, keeping his same stoic expression as he looked away. "Ah…never mind, then."

Natsume frowned, clearly displeased with the conversation being cut short. It wasn't like the little brat to keep things to himself without telling him. He opened his mouth to ask what the hell was going on, until suddenly…

"Ladies and gentleman!"

A ray of light appeared, shining brightly as it settled upon a dark figure. Appearing at the bottom of the grand balcony, a young man with honey-brown hair and glasses gathered the attention of the crowd.

Anna gasped and pointed, "Hey, it's Yuu!"

"Where?" Sumire and Koko asked in unison.

Everyone whispered to each other, each one surprised to see the young host finally making his appearance. People gathered around at the stairwell, wondering what was going to happen next.

Hotaru watched with a satisfied smile. "It's about damn time."

Once gathering the attention of all of his guests, Yuu cleared his throat and spoke into his microphone. "I'd like to thank everyone for coming out here, tonight. It's an honor to have you all here as welcomed guests inside of my own home. I do hope that everyone is enjoying the ball so far."

"What the hell is Tobita doing?" Natsume whispered to Youichi.

Youichi simply smiled and put a finger to his lips as if to hush.

Yuu tilted his glasses and continued speaking. "As you all know, I've invited guests of noble families, celebrities, and far away countries. I find it amazing to have everyone gathered in this room, tonight. If you didn't already know, I've also invited another special guest to attend tonight's ball. She happens to be a very special and dear friend of Hotaru Imai."

Whistles and loud given claps erupted around the room at the mention of Hotaru's name. Yuu sent a small wink and a smile to Miss Imai before continuing.

"Ladies and gentleman," he started, "I'd like you all to meet this special guest. Hotaru Imai especially wanted everyone to give her a warm welcome. Everyone, please welcome the lovely, Miss Mikan Sakura!"

"What?" Natsume gasped, surprised by the sudden name. "Did he just say─"

"It's Mikan!" Anna squealed excitedly as she pointed. "Look!"

The ray of light settled off of Yuu, gradually shifting over to the top of the stairs and rested upon a young woman. Surprised by what was going on, whispered murmurs erupted around the room again.

Slowly, the young woman took one step at a time as she made her way into the light. Once catching sight of the mystery guest, the watching crowd became stunned with simultaneous gasps of shock going all around.

Watching from the sidelines, Anna, Koko, and Sumire gazed on in admiration. Reo gulped, feeling his throat go dry. Luna gasped, her jaw dropping low. Tsubasa's eyes widened as he whistled lightly in surprise. Not at all surprised by what he was seeing, Youichi spared a glance at the young heir, and grinned at the expense of seeing his bewildered expression.

Natsume was… astonished ─ stunned, to find a familiar face standing at the top of the balcony. It just couldn't be…

The young woman was gorgeous. She wore a beautiful pink gown that sparkled like a starry night sky. Her auburn hair was let loose to hang freely upon her shoulders, flawless curls ending at the tips of each strand. The crowd stared on in awe. It was like witnessing Cinderella making her appearance.

Mikan gulped, nervous by all of the unwanted attention and gawking stares. She wasn't used to being put in the spotlight like this. The first thought that crossed her mind was to turn back, but then her eyes settled on a pair of violet eyes.

Hiding in the crowd, Hotaru smiled at the brunette and mouthed something like, _"Go on," _from her lips. Mikan smiled back, feeling the rushing adrenaline slowly start to fade away. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and stepped forward.

The ray of light followed her every move as she made her way downstairs. Her hand palmed against the wooden stairwell as she moved forward with each graceful step. She was careful with each step of her heels so as not to trip. Calm and well poised, she finally made her way down and stopped just at the floor.

Natsume marveled at the sight. Without him even realizing it, his legs began to move of their own free will. He found himself walking towards the woman almost as if he had been cast upon a bewitching spell.

He came to a stop in front of the brunette, his red eyes studying the beautiful creature from head to toe. Mikan gasped once taking notice of the handsome man. She felt her chest become hot with her heart beating fast.

Hazel brown met Crimson red. It was as if their eyes were making small conversation as they continued to stare back at each other in silence. Natsume didn't know what to do or say. The woman in front of him made it hard for him to think.

He gulped slowly, doing his best to come up with something to say. "You… I… Mikan…"

Mikan gasped at the mention of her name. "Yes?"

Natsume frowned, mentally cursing to himself for acting like a foolish little boy. _Damn it all,_ he thought to himself. _Say something, already!_

He inhaled and exhaled slowly, and with a few small steps, made his way closer to the beautiful woman. "Mikan," he breathed out. "Would… W-would you─"

"Mikan, you look beautiful."

Interrupted from his sentence, Natsume twitched with a slightly tensed jaw as he witnessed Reo suddenly appearing. Reo ignored the death glare given to him by Natsume and whistled in surprise.

"You really are an amazing woman," he complimented her. He bowed, being the gentleman that he was as he extended a hand with a wink. "May I have this dance?"

Natsume nearly cursed aloud after hearing the bastard make his statement. His crimson eyes flickered over to the brunette.

_Say no… Say no!_

Mikan blinked twice, putting a hand over her chest as if she was unsure of what to do. Her teeth overlapped her bottom lip as she stared back into a pair of green eyes, and she couldn't help but smile. She nodded, hesitantly reaching out to take Reo's hand as he guided her away to the middle of the dance floor.

Reo gave a nod to the orchestra on stage. The maestro nodded, signaled his band to begin the music, and then let the magic take over. Natsume could only watch in dismay as his arch nemesis stole away his little brunette.

His fists clenched tight with his jaw tense as he muttered, "That bastard…"

Reo and Mikan lit up the room as they swayed with the music. He held her close to his chest with one hand on her waist as he guided her to and fro about the floor. The brunette blushed at how close they were touching, but kept a bright smile to her face. She had to admit… Reo was a pretty good dancer.

She laughed happily and said, "You're really light on your feet, Reo."

The young man grinned smugly. "You didn't think that I was just a pretty face, now did you?" He winked, bringing the brunette closer to his chest. "I don't plan on letting go, Mikan," he whispered.

Mikan blushed and looked away. "O-okay…"

Tsubasa and Youichi watched the pair with widened eyes, and then turned to look at each other with a shrug. Anna smiled at the sight while Kokoro and Sumire stood like deer caught in headlights.

Luna placed both hands on her hips with a shrug of her shoulders. "Well, that's interesting. Who knew that she would switch from an ugly duckling to a swan?" She snorted, brushing the thought away and focused on a certain raven haired model that was… seething with rage. Excited for a dance, Luna skipped her way up to him and enwrapped her hands around his arm. "Natsume, baby," she said, smiling in delight. "The music has started. Why don't we go to the dance floor now?"

Natsume ignored her. His attention was focused on the happy-go-lucky brunette who was laughing like a foolish little girl with the bastard Reo. He could feel his blood boiling like crazy just by looking at them.

Luna frowned up at him. "Natsume, hey," she tugged at his arm. "I said─"

She didn't get another say.

All too fast, Natsume had pried her hands away from his arm, causing her to stagger backwards as he strode his way with a few brisk strides over to the dance floor.

He was like a wolf on the hunt, a lion on the prowl as his crimson eyes locked onto the cheerful brunette. Women were flocking to him, pleading him for a dance, but naturally, he ignored them. He brushed past everyone, pushing through the crowds of people, demanding that they make way.

With three quick strides, he was in front of the loving couple, glaring daggers at them as they slowed to a halt. Reo arched a questioning brow, and was just about to say something until…

"Move." Natsume pushed Reo out of the way and snatched Mikan by her arm.

Finding himself being shoved aside, Reo staggered back and sighed. He situated the tie to his tux with a small grunt. "Well, that was rude."

Natsume snorted and turned his attention to the brunette. Mikan was in shock, not expecting a sudden action from the young heir in public. She felt a little intimidated by his tense aura.

"N-Natsume?" she asked timidly. "What is it?"

Natsume gulped. This was it. He had to get the words out now. It was all or nothing. "Dance," he muttered softly.

Mikan cocked her head to the side. "Eh? What did you say?"

Groaning aloud, Natsume put a hand to his head and sighed. He grabbed Mikan's wrists, intertwining her fingers within his calloused hands as he pulled her to his chest. She blushed at the sudden contact, blinking back in surprise.

His hard eyes softened. Ridding all frustration of jealousy and hate, they became…warm and tender. "Dance with me, Mikan," he whispered or more so _pleaded_ her.

Witnessing everything from afar, Hotaru gasped in surprise. "Well, I'll be damn." She clacked her heels all the way over to the front of the stage and whispered to the orchestra. "Hey," she waved, "hey, change the music. Change the music!"

The maestro blinked twice with a small nod before giving a signal to his band to change songs. Once again, the lights began to dim all around the room as the music transcended into a romantic waltz. The music started slowly with a smooth legato of magical strings ringing from a violin.

Natsume looked around the room as the lights fell silent. He settled his red eyes on the beautiful brunette in front of him and smiled.

Loving the tender warmth within his dark pools of red, Mikan couldn't help but smile back. She didn't hesitate as Natsume rested a hand on her waist, pulling her closer to his chest.

Her small fingers curled within his large hands as they began their waltz. They danced to the pace of the music, almost like they were floating in mid-air while gliding across the floor. For Mikan, this night couldn't be more enchanting.

Hazel orbs seemed to become lost within the color of red, and she loved the dominating amber that kindled like a resonating flame. She could practically feel his warmth, taste his cinnamon-wood scent, and hear the beating drum of her heart.

It was…magic. Everything about this man was like a mystery to her, yet she felt like she already knew him so well. His red eyes melted away any hesitation as she followed his lead.

"You look beautiful."

His velvet-like voice sent shivers down her spine. He had…complimented her. That was all it took to send her heart pounding away, thumping mad like a resonating drum.

She took in his smirk, blushing at his boyish grin and his tantalizing crimson orbs filled with amusement. Everything about him made her feel safe, welcomed, and above all else…loved.

Yes. Love… She couldn't deny it any longer. She didn't know how, but it had happened.

After all of their bickering arguments, after having a slipper being thrown at the back of his head, after her being given fatherly pops to the bottom due to her reckless actions, and after every priceless moment that they had shared together, Mikan realized that she…loved Natsume.

She loved him ─ treasured his presence.

She didn't mind his grating tone when he became angry, she didn't mind it when he scolded her for doing something foolish, and she didn't mind working her way up into a modern young lady for the benefits of his bet.

It was all for him. Everything… was for him.

"Mikan?"

The brunette blinked back in realization after the calling of her name. Her brown eyes sparkled as she smiled warmly. "I'm glad that I'm with you, Natsume."

Natsume felt his heart skip a beat at those words. He opened his mouth to speak, but responded with a small grin instead. "I'm glad that I'm with you, too."

Amidst the crowd, Luna watched in dismay as her crush danced away with a certain brunette. She gritted her teeth, tearing up the pieces of a napkin in her hands. Reo watched from the sidelines, grinning with a highly amused brow as he witnessed the usual narcissistic young heir smiling for the first time.

"Let's go!" Sumire squealed in delight, and snatched up Koko by his ear as she guided him to the dance floor. "We can't let them get the spotlight."

Yuu cleared his throat as he came to stand before Anna. He tilted his glasses, blushing shyly. "W-would you l-like to dance, Anna?" he asked her.

Smiling brightly, Anna giggled out, "Of course!"

Witnessing everyone enjoying themselves, Tsubasa groaned in frustration as he leaned against the side of a wall. "Man, this is messed up." He nudged Youichi in the arm. "Isn't it, man? I mean, we're here at a ball, dressed up in cool tuxedos, and we're still not dancing."

Youichi sighed. "I'm heading over to the buffet," he drawled, pocketing his hands as he took his leave.

Seeing that he was all alone, Tsubasa glared daggers at his best friend and pouted. "I hate this damn night…"

"The song is pretty, isn't it?"

Tsubasa gasped at the sudden voice. He turned his head with his blue eyes resting upon a young woman with pink hair. "M-Misaki?" he asked surprised.

Misaki folded both arms behind her back and smiled at the pair on the dance floor. "Mikan looks really beautiful, tonight. She and Natsume… really make a cute couple."

"Y-yeah," Tsubasa laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head. "They…really do, don't they?"

Smiling to herself, Misaki turned to look at Tsubasa and shrugged her shoulders. "Well, the night is still young." She tried to fight back a blush while asking, "Do you… want to dance with me, Tsubasa?"

Tsubasa gasped at the last words. He cleared his throat, smiled warmly, and extended a hand to the beautiful woman. "May I have this dance, Misaki?" he asked.

She laughed with a roll of her eyes. Giving a light peck to Tsubasa's cheek, she smiled, "Of course."

Watching everything from afar, an awestruck Izumi gazed on in shock at the little brunette on the dance floor. His brows rose in disbelief and he could swear that a tear was forming at the corners of his eyes.

He couldn't believe this night. Little Mickey, the feisty kitten ─ his own little girl was actually…a woman. He had witnessed his beautiful daughter walk down the steps of the balcony like that of a princess. She had grace and beauty while standing out from every other woman in the room.

"I don't believe this!"

Izumi turned to look at his now fuming wife. Yumiko flared her nostrils. "Isn't that Yuka's little brat? What the hell is she doing here at the ball?" She pointed at the dance floor and looked at her husband. "Izumi, do you know about any of this?"

Ten more seconds of silent blank staring commenced as Izumi shifted his eyes back to his daughter. He noticed the bubbly smile on her lips and the innocent laughter as she twirled around with the young Hyuuga heir.

A smile thinned at his lips. "Well, Yumiko," Izumi shrugged, "I'd say that little Mickey…looks just like her mother over there. She looks gorgeous."

Yumiko's mouth dropped. "…What?"

"She does look lovely, doesn't she?"

Coming to join in on the light conversation, Hotaru Imai approached the two Como residents with a pleased smile. Izumi stared at the young woman, furrowing his brows before closing his eyes with a small laugh. "Miss Imai… Now, I understand why you decided to invite me to the ball."

Hotaru only grinned. "I do expect you to live up to your word." She clicked her tongue and said, "You do know that I'm referring to the $200.00?"

"Well, now," Izumi chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "That's what I consider foul play, wouldn't ya agree?"

Hotaru smiled and was just about to add a smart remark, but found her words fleeting her as a handsome blonde came to take her by the hand. She looked at him with a questioning brow.

Giving a small grin, Ruka tightened his hold to her wrist. "Would you… like to dance, Hotaru?" he asked her. His blue eyes delved deep into her violet irises and she couldn't help but smile.

Hoping to hide her excited expression, Hotaru turned back to Izumi and shrugged. "Looks like it's my turn to join the dance floor," she stated, almost bored. "I guess it can't be helped. I'll leave you to enjoy the rest of the night." With that said, she turned to walk off with Ruka guiding her away for a dance. She had to admit… His manly way for taking charge of a situation was a turn-on.

It wasn't long before the whole dance floor became crowded with loving couples. Everyone enjoyed themselves as they continued dancing the night away.

Still guiding his little brunette across the marble floor, Natsume tightened his hold to her waist as they started to distant themselves away from the many other couples.

He gradually slowed their pace, leading his partner through two, tall double-glass doors that led towards an outdoor balcony. They made their way outside, stopping to stare in wonder while witnessing a beautiful starry night sky.

"Wow," Mikan gasped, removing her hand from Natsume's hold. She sighed contently and came to stand at the balcony. "This night is so…magical. Isn't it, Natsume?"

Watching the lovely brunette's hazel eyes sparkling in awe, Natsume stared back in a daze. He kept a distant expression, thoughts fleeting him as he watched the peace of happiness on Mikan's face. A small smile played at his lips.

"It sure is…"

Mikan turned to look at him with a smile.

The illuminating light from the full moon reflected upon his enchanting features, outlining his jaw, his nose, and finally, the radiance of his crimson red eyes. His raven hair blew gallantly with the whispering wind with his bangs caressing the side of his face. Mikan gasped, admiring the handsome beauty of the man she loved.

Arching a brow, Natsume closed the bit of space between them as he came to stand by the dazed brunette. "Like what you see?" he teased.

Mikan blushed, pouting her cheeks but managed a small smile. The man that she loved was wearing his seductive smirk that made her want to reach out and kiss him.

She bit her lip, letting the thought play in her mind of how soft the feel of his lips would be like against hers. Hesitantly, she reached out a hand to finger through his silky raven tresses, and then softly caressed the side of his face.

"Natsume…"

The sound of his name stemming from her angelic voice caused Natsume's heart to contract. He leaned into the palm of her hand, wanting to feel more of her loving touch. His hands reached out for her small frame, his fingers intertwined within her auburn strands.

He pulled her closer as she gasped. His red eyes were soft, warm, tender and magnetic. It was as if he was beckoning to her entire being. He pulled her closer… closer… and closer.

Mikan felt her heart pounding away once realizing that she was practically glued to Natsume's chest. But she refused to look away. Her heart ached for his touch, for his lips… for his heart.

Natsume inched in closer to her face to the point where their noses were toughing. "Mikan," his voice rasped, lathered in the same coat of velvet that she loved.

The brunette closed her eyes and then opened them with a hazed expression. She cupped his face within her hands and whispered, "Natsume…"

That was it. Natsume couldn't take it anymore. There was no more holding back.

He smirked, loving the sound of his name and went in for a small peck at the woman's lips. It was a soft kiss, slow and warm, but then flowed with a fast pace as his lips continued to brush against hers.

Mikan released herself to him. She didn't bother resisting him. No, not this time… She deepened the kiss, parting her lips as Natsume instinctively took charge. She moaned into their heated kiss, granting him full access into her sweet cavern.

Natsume couldn't get enough. He felt his body go hot as his hands held the woman in place. It was different from how he would normally kiss a woman. This kiss was…sensual, more tender and loving.

Mikan pulled him closer to her body, wanting more of his touch, and he happily obliged. Just when she had to break for air, she gasped, surprised at the sudden nips that Natsume gave to her neck. He brushed his soft lips against her skin as he continued to whisper her name over and over again. Mikan smiled in content. She loved the way he said her name.

Natsume pulled Mikan's face into another heated kiss, refusing her any escape. She didn't even try to hold back. Her arms circled around his neck, deepening the pressure of their kiss.

He pulled back after a while, planting one last chaste kiss upon Mikan's lips. She panted heavily, lips now red and bruised and he smirked with pride. He leaned in to kiss her nose and rested his forehead against hers.

"You're beautiful…"

**.**

Long chapter again (I know, I'm ruthless with the extensive fluffs).

(Happy 4th of July to my awesome readers in the U.S.A.!) :D

Thanks for reading. Review if you liked?


	21. Lots of Chocolates

**Disclaimer: **No way Jose.

**.**

**E.D.- **"*sings* Lots of chocolates for me to eat!"

**-Eliza Doolittle. My Fair Lady (1964)**

**Chapter 21: Lots of Chocolates**

**.**

"Alright, Mikan, let's run this over one more time…"

A woman with sleek black hair was busy humming while prancing about back and forth across the kitchen.

Nonoko sung happily as she trotted away in her high black heels while carrying a picnic basket in her hands. She practically squealed in delight as she came to set it on top of the kitchen counter right beside a pile of snacks, and signaled for Mikan to take a look.

The brunette sighed, gave a roll of her eyes, and hopped down from off of the counter to come stand just beside Nonoko. Leaning on both elbows, she cupped the side of her face in both of her hands and released a tired yawn.

A rush of excitement seemed to overtake the little maid who was busy mumbling incoherent squeals to herself while prepping the bit of food for the picnic basket.

Mikan arched a brow at the unnecessary excitement. "It's really not that big of a deal, you know," she muttered blandly.

As if her ears had just perceived a taboo curse, Nonoko stopped her squealing rants, and turned to look at the brunette with a shocking gasp. "Not a big deal?" she mimicked in between a scoff. "Young lady, do you know what it is that you're exactly doing, today? Well, do you?"

Giving a light shrug of the shoulders, Mikan yawned again while fiddling a fresh orange in between her hands, "I don't know."

Displeased with the lukewarm response, Nonoko tapped her fingers at the base of the counter, rolling her eyes in disbelief. Honestly…

"Sweetheart," she started slowly, practically underlining each sentence, "you're going out on a lovely stroll with one of the most sought after bachelors of_ all_ time. You're going to have lunch with the _sexies_t man in all of _Japan_." She grabbed both of Mikan's hands, intertwining her fingers within her own as her dark eyes glistened admirably. "Mikan… You're going on a date with Natsume Hyuuga…!"

Date… That one word was all it took to send the brunette's cheeks flushing away.

Her heart skipped a beat as her hazel eyes shifted uncomfortably to the floor. "That's not… Natsume didn't say that it was a date."

Though she tried to deny it, her heart thought otherwise. However, it appeared that the wheels of fate were finally starting to turn for little Miss Mikan Sakura.

Last night turned out to be an enchanting memorial like that of a dream as she had spent the entire time dancing the night away with a certain raven haired model.

There were no words to describe the magical feeling of love that immersed throughout the air. Just thinking back to her enchanting night where she danced hand in hand with Natsume was enough to make her blush and send her heart pounding away.

Now today, upon this Saturday evening, she had personally been invited by the young heir of Hyuuga Hotels to accompany him on his one day off from the busy complications of fame.

For Mikan, there was nothing better than to be able to spend time together with the man that she had come to love. The fact that he decided to have her join him on his personal Saturday meant everything to her; it meant the world to her.

Although she would be spending time with the handsome bachelor, she didn't know if the word, "date," actually fitted in with the program.

As much as she wished it to be… she wasn't so sure that the flirtatious, single playboy, "_I don't do relationships," _Natsume Hyuuga, would ask someone like her out on a simple date. It just didn't seem to 'fit' into the big picture − him being a rich bachelor, and her being a penniless resident of Como.

Nonoko's eyes rolled at such naïve thinking. "Oh, get real," she groaned out. "Natsume-sama never ever asks for just _any_ woman to have lunch with him. I-I mean… what else would you call that?" She pointed at Mikan's nose and said, "It's definitely a date. Accept that."

Mikan blinked twice. "B-but−"

"Accept it!"

"Okay, okay," Mikan backed away, not wanting to anger the maid any further. "I-I believe you, it's a date."

Nonoko smiled triumphantly. "Good." She held up a plastic-wrapped sandwich and cleared her throat. "Now, let's run this over together one more time. When you and Natsume-sama finally sit down to eat, what do you say?"

Pursing her lips for a good answer, Mikan scratched at her head. "Um… I say… _"Hey, Natsume, I made some sandwiches. Would you like one"'_"

"Correct!" Nonoko exclaimed, holding up her hand for a high-five. "Now, both of these sandwiches have been especially prepared with Swiss cheese. If Natsume-sama declines, and says something gruff like, _"No thanks, I'm not a fan of Swiss cheese,"_ then what do you say?"

"Okay, I know this one, I know this one," Mikan said, tugging at her auburn strands as she thought to herself. "I'll say… _"But you have to try it, Natsume. I made this sandwich especially for you.""_ She looked at Nonoko with hopeful eyes. "Is that right?"

Nonoko's lips thinned into a goofy grin. "Ah!" she exclaimed, pulling the brunette into a loving embrace. "I'm so proud of you! Okay, okay, now for the next part." She thought a little before giving a snap of her fingers. "Oh! I've got one. What happens if he decides to−?"

"Nonoko!" a rugged voice suddenly called aloud from upstairs. "Nonoko, are you downstairs?"

"Oh, that's him…!" the little maid whispered in surprise. She turned to face Mikan before fixing the auburn strands of her hair.

After touching up the little brunette, Nonoko took her by the wrist, grabbed the picnic basket, and walked out of the kitchen to find the young Hyuuga heir striding his way down the steps of the stairs.

He was dressed in his favorite pair of dark denim jeans, with a red shirt overlapped by a black leather jacket, and was twirling the ring of his car keys around his index finger.

Tussling at his raven bangs, he picked up a few papers from off of the living room counter while asking, "Nonoko, did you call the studio for me to tell them that I can't make today's interview?"

"Yes, Natsume-sama," the maid answered, handing an envelope to her young master. "Everything has been situated orderly just like you asked."

Natsume gave a small "Ah," while scouring through the bit of mail and patted Nonoko's head. "That's my girl." After tossing the papers aside he turned to the pretty little brunette expectantly. "Are you ready to go, Mikan?"

Biting her lip, she fidgeted nervously with her fingers and hesitantly nodded, "Y-yes, I'm ready."

After giving a good pop to his neck, Natsume yawned and waved for her to follow him towards the door. "Alright, well let's get going. I'm starving and I need all the food that I can get."

Just before Mikan could follow behind, Nonoko managed to pull her by the arm. "Now, remember what we've talked about," she said, handing the brunette the picnic basket. "Don't get too fidgety and make sure to smile around him. He likes it when you smile."

Mikan breathed in and out. "Okay," she nodded, trying to shake the tingling anxiety out of her hands. "I can do this."

_We're just having lunch,_ she told herself. _It's just lunch, nothing more. You can do this._

"I can do this…"

**.**

The lovely pair was situated just outside of a splendor restaurant, secluded to their own table of a beautiful balcony.

Even with the winter month of December being present, there was a fresh, cool and crisp breeze flowing throughout the air.

Complementing the lovely dining of the set table, the magic wonder of a beautiful deep blue sea could be seen from just a few feet away. Admiring the enchanting beauty, Mikan marveled in awe at the sight around her.

She couldn't believe it… With just a snap of his fingers and a simple demand from his voice, Natsume was able to get such a beautiful view for a table in the blink of an eye, reservations none included.

The feeling of being treated like a princess flooded through her veins along with a rush of excitement, but then… it gradually started to fade.

She bit her lip, brows slightly furrowed together as the feeling of disappointment seeped its way through her joy.

Despite being situated at a beautiful table, Mikan would have much rather enjoyed the feel of a normal "date," if she could call it that.

She had originally pictured a romantic theme for sitting on a hill of lush green grass, a red and white checkered blanket underneath a paper plate of sandwiches, and a certain raven haired model smiling across from her while enjoying his hand prepared meal.

She smiled somberly to herself, admiring the rushing waves of the ocean. "I guess this is better than nothing…"

"Tell me why you decided to bring a picnic basket, again?" Natsume's monotone voice asked suddenly, interrupting the brunette from her long trance.

Mikan shifted her eyes to the hot model, and then to the giant picnic basket situated in between them in the middle of their table.

She had completely forgotten about the sandwiches that she and Nonoko had prepared for today's outing. One look at the basket was enough to tell that it definitely didn't belong ─ what with the entire luxury splendor surrounding the area.

She bit her lip before answering, "W-well, I just… thought that we would be having lunch together a little… cheaper, today."

Natsume quirked a brow and asked, "What, by going to a park or something?" He snorted at the thought. "That's not my thing."

Mikan wilted in her seat. Of course not…

"What do you want to order, Mikan?" The brunette looked up to find Natsume propping his legs upon the edge of the table as he scoured through a menu. "You can have anything you want. Take your pick."

Hold on a second… Even despite having a picnic basket sitting right in front of his face, this guy was still bent on ordering first class service?

With her jaw nearly dropped, Mikan tried to think up a quick save. Okay, she had to think real hard back to what Nonoko had instructed her to say.

Clearing her throat, Mikan picked out an enwrapped sandwich from the picnic basket. Her hand seemed to tremble as she gulped and asked, "N-Natsume? I made some sandwiches. W-would you like one?"

Natsume peeled his red eyes over his menu, narrowing them at the sandwich with indifference.

He clicked his tongue. "What kind are they?"

"S-Swiss cheese," Mikan muttered out.

"No thanks," was Natsume's drawled response, wrinkling his nose in disgust. He resumed to looking back at his menu and finished off, "I'm not a fan of Swiss Cheese."

Mikan gulped. She breathed in and quickly added, "But you have to try it, Natsume. I made this sandwich especially for you." Her voice was meek, shy, almost pleading.

"I don't eat Swiss cheese." The rugged voice was reprimanding, uncooperative. "I don't want it."

One of the brunette's brows twitched. She felt the muscles within her legs and arms become stiff after hearing the cold words being spoken so easily.

This stupid jerk… "Just try it," Mikan's voice was low, but still loud enough to echo from across the table. "You won't know unless you try it."

A disenchanted sigh escaped Natsume's lips. "Look, Mikan, I said that I didn't want it. Now, why don't you start looking through your menu, already? The waiter will be back to take our orders and you still don't know what you want."

"I _**do**_ know what I want." Natsume looked up in annoyance at a dissatisfied frown etched upon the little brunette's face as Mikan slowly added, "And I want to eat this Swiss cheese sandwich that I _personally _made."

Natsume arched a brow. "Well, you can save it for _later_," he retorted, purposely underlining the last word of his sentence. "We're at a luxury restaurant, and you have the options of ordering anything that you want. You can eat the damn sandwich later."

Mikan tensed, feeling her breaking point. Alright, so the jerk has the guts to call her sandwich a "damn" sandwich…

"You don't want to eat the sandwich?"

"Isn't that what I just said?"

Inhaling sharply, Mikan felt her knuckles go rigid. "You don't want to eat the sandwich that I prepared for you?" she asked, attempting to get through the hot model's overly thick head.

"What the hell?" Sickened of going back and forth with the same damn question, Natsume sat upright in his seat while pointing accusingly at the annoying woman in front of him. "You," he directed, "are really starting to get on my nerves with this sandwich crap. Just put it away and eat it for a snack when we get back home."

"Oh, so my 'damn' sandwich is a 'crap' sandwich now?"

The sarcastic tone within the brunette's voice caused Natsume to start chewing on his tongue. "Woman, are you trying to start something that you can't finish?" He scooted his chair closer to the table and said, "Because I _will _finish it for you."

Mikan's face of shock and a dropped jaw was enough to send a smug grin thinning at Natsume's lips. A moment of silence passed in between the two.

He snorted, flaunting the air of victory about him while picking up his cup of cola. The sardonic smirk infuriated Mikan, making her stomach churn where she had the ticking urge to just punch the stupid jerk in the nose.

Unable to hold back her anger, she hastily sighed as if coming to a conclusion to herself.

Natsume on the other hand, still appeared to be enjoying his moment for being smug. "So, then," he started, his voice superior in every way, "why don't you take a look at your menu, and decide what you want to−"

Too caught up in the moment, Natsume didn't even expect what was to come next.

All at once, Mikan had abruptly risen from her chair, reached out for her full cup of cola, and splashed the sugary caffeine right into the cocky young heir's face.

A hushing silence fell over the table. Natsume blinked twice, taking in the sticky residue that was slowly dripping from the corners of his prized leather jacket.

The sound of a plastic cup clattered to the floor. Flaring her nostrils in anger, Mikan huffed out, "There! Now, you can enjoy your luxury meal all to yourself without the use of a 'damn' sandwich. Enjoy!"

With that said she stormed off, forgetting the picnic basket on the table while still holding onto her enwrapped sandwich.

It took three blinks of blank staring, a tense of his jaw, and a muttered curse of breath for Natsume to react.

His neck slowly craned, his red orbs burning with a murderous intent as the infuriated brunette trotted away. "What the fucking hell…?"

He abruptly arose from the table. It didn't take much for his long legs to match Mikan's pace as he made six, brisk long strides towards her direction. Seething in rage, he yanked the woman by her wrist with so much force, that she practically bounced back from the impact against his hard chest.

"Hey!" Natsume demanded, tightening his hold to her arm. Seeing that she refused to look at him, he tilted her chin fully. "I'm talking to you, little girl."

"Let go of me," came Mikan's hostile growl of refusal. She tried to pry the model's hand away from her wrist.

"Not so fast, sweetheart," Natsume growled, letting his brute strength pull at the helpless little brunette. "Look at me when I'm talking to you." His eyes flared like a raging fire as he held Mikan's chin in between his forefinger and thumb. "Look at me."

Unable to break free, Mikan forced the meanest scowl that she could and fumed, "What is it!"

"Why are you getting so upset over a damn sandwich?"

Seriously, just how thick was Natsume's head? Mikan felt exasperated just by talking to the insensitive jerk. "It's not just because of the sandwich, Natsume, it's… just never mind!"

"What do you mean, never mind?"

"Never mind, just forget it!" Mikan did her best to push away from the barbaric brute.

Natsume wasn't having that. He tugged harder, locking both wrists within his calloused hands. "Look, little girl. I told you to look at me when I'm talking to you, and…" He paused on the words to come, noticing crystallized droplets at the corners of Mikan's eyes. "Are you crying?"

She scowled up at him like the answer was obvious. "What does it look like, stupid?"

Natsume's eyes rolled. Oh, hell...

Seriously, he just couldn't understand the emotions of women. In one moment they're all excited about going out to spend quality time and then the very next, they started crying out of nowhere for no damn reason.

He felt pathetic. Hell, he didn't mean to make her cry. His tense aura submerged into uncertainty.

Natsume released the brunette's wrists, suddenly uncomfortable with the change of mood. "Damn it, Mikan, I… You…" He tussled at his hair and breathed out, "Why are you crying?"

"Whose fault do you think it is that I'm crying?" she answered through sniffs.

"Is it just because I didn't want to eat some stupid Swiss cheese sandwich?" Natsume asked her. "Because if it is, then that's the last thing that you should be−"

Mikan didn't even let him finish. "Do you know how long it took me to prepare sandwiches for us to eat together?" She held up the sandwich in her hand and said, "I spent my time learning to cook all damn night with Nonoko chewing me out, popping my hand, and scolding me for using peanut butter instead of mayonnaise. I worked my butt off to prepare a good meal for you to eat!"

Natsume held his tongue for his own good. Hell, it was too much trouble trying to argue with a woman who sounded like she was going through a stage of menopause…

He held his stoic expression, chewing on his tongue with a cross of his arms, and patiently waited for the ballistic woman to finish.

"And just when I think that we finally got to go out on a date, you treat me like trash, hurt my feelings, and then you−"

"Wait… date?" That word was all it took for Natsume to react. "Did you just say date?"

Mikan gasped. "I… N-no, that's not what I said."

"Yes you did."

"I… No, I meant… Oh, this is s-stupid." Mikan stomped her foot in frustration. "You're being so unfair," she said, ready to throw her sandwich to the ground, "and I don't want to talk to you. I'm getting rid of this stupid sandwich right now."

Before she had the chance to discard the sandwich, a hand reached out to snatch it roughly from her grasp. She blinked back, clearly not expecting the sudden reaction as she found Natsume removing the plastic with a disenchanted expression.

She held out a hand and demanded that he give it back. Instead, the model snorted, ignoring the gesture while holding the sandwich up to his lips and took in a quick whiff of Swiss cheese.

His nose wrinkled in disgust. He hesitated a little before deciding to take a big chunk out of the sandwich.

Mikan gasped, surprised by his sudden actions. The looks on his face switched from repulse, to curiosity, and then into what Mikan could've deemed a delighted… sense of fascination.

His jaw chewed little by little, slowly taking in the flavors of the sandwich. One of his brows rose in thought. "It tastes pretty good…"

Mikan put a finger to her chin while biting her lip. "It… does?"

Natsume nodded, resuming to taking another bite. "It needs a little spice of tomato but it's not so bad," he muttered through stuffed cheeks. "You made this all by yourself?"

The hint of admiration within his voice sent a shiver of excitement and anticipation through Mikan. She nodded, "Well, y-yeah, I did. I mean, Nonoko helped, too… but just a little."

"That right?" Natsume arched a brow, giving a small "Hm," while savoring another bite of the sandwich. He gave an approving nod to the brunette while finishing off the last piece of crust. "It's not that bad actually."

"Do you… really like it, Natsume?"

After forcing down one last gulp, Natsume brushed off the bit of crust from his fingers. "Idiot. Why would I lie to you?" He sighed. "Not too bad for someone who's never made sandwiches before."

That one sentence was all it took to earn a beaming smile from the little brunette. Her hazel orbs lit up in bliss.

Natsume smiled back. There she goes again…

Ready for a change of atmosphere, he pulled out his car keys from his pocket. He playfully tugged on one of Mikan's brown strands. "Hey… You in the mood for chocolate?"

Natsume and Mikan were walking side by side together in Central Park.

After having made a short little trip to the famous Tobita le' Gateau, they decided that it would be fun to spend a day out by getting some good exercise for a short walk.

Natsume didn't seem to mind spending a little more quality time with his brunette. He studied her face, grinning at the expense of her goofy smile as she skipped lightly on her toes while swinging around her bag of chocolate fudge. Women and chocolate…

Yet there was this odd sensation that he would always feel whenever he was with her – one that he could never explain. Of course, the strange feeling didn't sit well with him at all. It wasn't like he needed to have trivial things such as "feelings" when it came to women. He just didn't do relationships. End of story.

He was Natsume Hyuuga, the richly famous bachelor known for getting whatever the hell that he wanted with a snap of his fingers. All it would take to win a woman in his bed was a charming grin, a few drinks on the rocks, the flaunting of money, and last but not least, his bare chest consisting of well-built abs. That was all it took for a woman to practically charge straight into his arms.

Yet with Mikan, he found it to be different…

She was a woman of her own status ─ one who wasn't so easily moved by a charming smile, or a flashy sports car and money. There seemed to be this certain… light to her that always intrigued him whenever he was around her.

The pair slowed to a small pace and came to a halt as they found a comfortable spot on a nearby bench beside a lake. Mikan finished off another piece of chocolate, licking her lips in delight. "Wow, Tobita le' Gateau really does have the best chocolate around."

"You're too easily satisfied, that's all," Natsume replied blandly with a snort.

Mikan kicked her legs back and forth against the edge of the bench. "Hey, Natsume," she started, turning to look at him. "Since my favorite thing is chocolate, what's your favorite thing?"

The young heir swung an arm over the edge of the bench and arched a taunting brow. "You really wanna know?" Mikan eagerly nodded and he grinned. "Alright," he said with a click of his tongue. "My favorite thing is hearing the pleading moan of a woman screaming out my name with her legs wrapped around my waist as I−"

"Stop, stop, stop!" The brunette held up a hand to reframe him from speaking. She covered her ears and said, "Too much! That's too much information."

"You asked, didn't you?"

The sardonic tone caused Mikan to cringe as she stared at the man with no morals. "Do you always have to be a pervert?"

One smug grin was all it took as Natsume plainly answered, "Yes."

Rolling her eyes, Mikan gave a shake of her head and turned her attention to the majestic blue water of the lake in front of her. The cool December air blew her chestnut wisps with the light wind as she sighed in content.

She smiled admirably at the beautiful view. "This water looks pretty deep, doesn't it?"

Natsume turned to look at her, arching a skeptic brow. "Don't even think about jumping in," he said as if to warn her. "Ever since you almost drowned way back then, I can't even let you take one step towards a puddle of water."

The demanding tone in his voice made Mikan hold back a laugh. She shrugged and added, "That wasn't the first time that I almost drowned, you know."

"You mean… it's happened more than once?"

"Well, yeah," the brunette said, turning to look at Natsume with a small grin. "A long time ago, Misaki and I were playing beside a lake. I was playing with my favorite necklace while running around. I remember that it was a beautiful shade of orange. But I flung it around a little too hard and accidently threw it into the lake. So, I…" Her eyes opened as she shook her head, laughing a little to herself. "Like an idiot, I freaked out and found myself jumping into the water to get it out."

It sounded more like a death wish to Natsume. He wrinkled his nose and asked, "You actually jumped into a lake for a stupid necklace?"

"It wasn't just any necklace," Mikan defended. "It was a necklace that belonged to my mother before she passed away. I treasured that necklace more than my life." She bit her lip, brows furrowing at the thought. "I tried to get it out of the water but ended up almost drowning instead. Luckily, Misaki was nearby and came to my rescue before I could drown."

Natsume kept quiet as he listened to her finish. He noticed the hint of pain etching her usual beaming smile, and felt his heart contract.

"Ever since then, I've… always had a fear of swimming. I know it was stupid, and maybe I shouldn't have decided to act reckless. But that day…I was ready to risk everything in able to get back my mother's necklace." Mikan smiled wistfully to herself. "That necklace was all I had left of her…"

Natsume leaned on the edge of the bench, cupping the side of his face. "It meant that much to you?"

The only response he received was an angelic laugh ─ sweet music to his ears. "If something is given to me, then I will treasure it more than my own life. I'll hold it dear to my heart, forever."

A faint gasp escaped from Natsume's parted lips. He watched the brunette almost in awe as the sun shone its rays on the side of her face, displaying her true beauty.

Mikan noticed his long trance as she turned to look at him, but he was quick to hide any hint of emotion while looking off to the side. She shrugged and stared up at the sky with furrowed brows after noticing the dark, murky clouds slowly gathering together in the sky.

Strange… It was so beautiful today, and suddenly the sky looked like it wanted to rain.

Mikan whistled lightly. "It looks like it really wants to rain today, huh?"

Keeping to himself on his own side of the bench, Natsume took one glance up at the sky and drawled, "I guess…" He sighed then, situating himself up from off of the bench with a stretch of his arms. "Come on, let's head back home."

**.**

The sound of thunder roared outside along with the whistling wind.

Flashes of lighting emitted through the crystal-clear window. A tree branch scraped up against the glass as it blew with the rushing gust.

Mikan jumped in fright, screaming in response to the booming thunder as a blue, white light flashed throughout her room. She hid underneath the sheets of her bed and covered her ears.

There was no way that she was going to get any sleep tonight. The monstrous bellowing of thunder made her shudder in fear. Next to drowning in water, thunder and lightning had always been something that she feared the most.

_**Boom!**_

"Ah!" she shrieked aloud, suddenly falling off the edge of her bed and onto the hard floor.

That was it. No more. She couldn't take being alone in a dark room with the sound of thunder any longer. Mikan picked up her sheets, enwrapping them around her small frame as she stumbled for the door.

She scurried out into the dark corridors of the hallway as the next beating sound of thunder erupted aloud. Putting a hand over her mouth, she fought back another scream and scampered her way off to a large mahogany colored door.

Her footsteps ceased as she found herself coming face to face in front of Natsume's room. She rested a hand on the knob in hesitance; pondering on whether or not going in was such a good idea.

But her thoughts were soon to be interrupted as another sound of cracking thunder came about. She screamed, rushed her way in without a second's thought, and tripped over her sheets onto the carpet floor.

Slowly, she picked herself up, gathered her sheets, and silently tip-toed her way over to a king-sized bed.

The room was dark, large, and the many flashes of lighting engulfed the blackness. Mikan studied the sleeping figure who appeared to be unaffected by the tumultuous storm.

There was drool slipping at his mouth. The bottom half of his sculptured torso was covered with his large sheets, as his bare chest transcended up and down with his soft breathing. His raven tresses spilt ever so delicately over his face.

The brunette had to fight back a smile as she came to stand beside Natsume. Who would've thought that the spoiled narcissist prince could look so cute while sleeping?

"Hey… Natsume?" she whispered, giving a light shake to his arm. "Natsume, are you awake?"

No answer.

"Natsume…!" she whispered louder. "Wake up, please. Hey, Natsume…"

She shook his arm a little harder this time. The violent shakes caused Natsume to stir in his sleep. He mumbled incoherently, "Mmm… What, what is it?"

Mikan stopped shaking his arm and froze. "Are you awake?"

Groaning aloud from his rude awakening, Natsume pried the brunette's hand away from his arm.

He shifted in his sheets and grunted out, "No…"

Mikan frowned. "Yes you are," she pouted sullenly. She bit her lip, shaking the model's arm again in desperation. "Natsume, I… I can't sleep."

An exasperated sigh came about. "What do you mean, Mikan?"

"Well… I-I can't sleep in my room. It's too dark."

Natsume sighed again. He was too damn tired for all of this… He gave a click of his tongue and lazily drawled, "Mikan, all the rooms are dark."

"I know," she muttered meekly. She pulled at her sheets over her head, fiddling with her fingers while saying, "But I can't sleep that well in this thunderstorm. Natsume, I'm… I'm scared."

Natsume turned to look at her this time. He lazily opened one eye and asked, "Do you want to sleep with me, then?"

Another shocking sound of thunder caused Mikan to flinch. She squeaked out in a high pitch. Tugging at the sheets over her head, she hesitantly nodded. Yes.

Natsume studied the woman for a while before releasing another sigh.

He opened up his sheets as if to welcome her and instructed, "Get in."

Mikan didn't waste another second. She practically dived into the sheets. The model grunted in response to being kicked underneath the bottom of his chin as she muttered a small, "Sorry," before making herself comfortable.

Ready to go back to sleep, Natsume sighed again and pulled the covers over to his side of the bed. Mikan didn't seem to mind though. She was too busy trying to find a comfortable spot on the bed to make her feel at peace.

Her hands fiddled with the silk-satin sheets as she shifted around in the bed. She grunted, trying to fix the hard pillow underneath her head. This in turn seemed to upset Natsume who found his head bobbing up and down from the bouncing force.

"Go to sleep, Mikan."

"S-sorry…"

The room fell silent.

Well, everything appeared to be okay so far. Mikan could feel her eyelids slowly getting heavy until...

_**Boom!**_

She yelped in surprise from the sound of thunder roaring outside. Her body quivered in fear, and she rubbed her arms avidly as if she were cold. Her eyes shut tight with her lips mouthing out small whimpers.

Natsume heard her. He sighed, shifted around in the bed, and turned to face Mikan. She stared up at him, her hazel eyes tearing up in fear. He grinned at her childish display and then opened up his arms as if to welcome her into his loving embrace.

"Come here," he whispered softly.

The brunette didn't hesitate as she crawled into his arms. She nestled up against his hard chest, inhaling the seductive scent of the man that she loved. A blush heated up at her cheeks once she realized just how close that she actually was.

Their bodies pieced together like that of a puzzle. Once getting comfortable, Mikan turned so that her back was facing Natsume's bare chest and she sighed contently.

A few seconds of silence passed in between the two. Natsume watched the woman in his arms, studying her body language, and had the strangest urge to run a finger through her auburn strands.

Her tangerine scent flooded throughout his nostrils. Sinfully pleasurable thoughts flashed throughout his mind as he held onto the little brunette. It felt… strange.

This wasn't the first time for him to go to bed with a woman, but this was definitely the first time that he had ever cuddled with a woman.

Not only were his hormones raging like mad, but the fact that the woman in his arms seemed to turn him on made the situation rather… difficult.

"Damn," he muttered to himself. He really needed to stop acting like a hormonal teenager.

Meanwhile, Mikan was busy trying to go to sleep. She allowed her lids to close but found them flashing open as she felt soft lips pressing up against her neck.

She gasped, feeling a hand running light traces over her arm and shuddered. "N-Natsume…?" she whispered.

He continued his light, chaste kisses against her neck, breathing in her scent while loving the feeling of her soft skin. His nose nuzzled up against the nape of her neck as he brought Mikan's hips closer to his body, tightening his hold around her.

Mikan tensed, unsure as how to act. What was going on…?

"Don't worry," a soft voice whispered lovingly. "I won't hurt you…"

Mikan gasped as she heard the words. All feelings of uncertainty and fear fled at once.

Natsume's words were like magic. They seemed to shelter her and make her feel at peace. She calmed down and subdued to his hold, willing herself to relax as his strong arms cradled her closer to his chest.

Natsume nipped at her neck, lightly running his tongue over the few marks that he left, and kissed her softly. His kisses trailed all the way down to the base of Mikan's shoulder as his hand reached under her shirt with his fingers drawing light circles over her stomach.

She closed her eyes, loving the tender touch that he was giving her. In the back of her mind, she so badly wanted to turn around, enwrap her arms around his waist, and whisper out the words, "I love you."

Yet something held her back.

The feeling of rejection ─ the fear of being turned away made her think otherwise. So, instead… she felt that just being in the strong arms of the man that she loved was enough for tonight.

Natsume felt his hormones raging as he continued the few repetitive nips and suckles to Mikan's skin. He shuddered, wanting to cross the red line even further, but knew better than to scare his little brunette.

He cradled her in his arms, placed light kisses over her neck, her cheek, and then suckled on her earlobe. "You're too damn tempting, you know that?" he whispered hotly into her ear.

Mikan shuddered at the feeling of his ragged breathing against her skin. She titled her head ever so slowly, allowing her eyes to meet a pair of hazed, ruby-red orbs.

Natsume held her gaze a moment longer.

Then next, he inched his face closer to hers as his mouth claimed her lips. He bit at her bottom lip, asking for entrance as Mikan complied with a stifling moan. Their lips brushed together in unison.

For Mikan, there was no greater feel than the taste of cinnamon against her tongue.

Natsume continued to tease her, enticing her, melting her down as he pulled back and plunged into her mouth for the kill.

He couldn't stop himself. The taste of her sweet cavern was enough to kill him. Damn, he never thought that the taste of a woman could feel so good.

They pulled back after one more heated kiss and stared into each other's eyes. Mikan breathed out in heavy pants, inhaling the much needed air.

Natsume planted a kiss on top of her forehead and pulled her closer while resting his chin on top of her brown head of hair. She sighed in content, closing her eyes as she nuzzled up against his bare chest.

The pelting rain continued to pour down outside, bringing forth a sense of tranquility for the loving pair who was sleeping away.

Tonight… was a good night for a storm.

**.**

Eh, I couldn't help but make this chapter dorky, cheesy, and filled with fluff. It's in my nature. :P

But I hope that you enjoyed it! Just having your amazing support for this story is enough to put a smile on my face. :) You see that smile?

Thanks so much for reading! Please don't forget to review if you have the time.


	22. What I Love About Him

**Disclaimer:**No Propio

**.**

M.H. - "However did you learn good manners with my son around?"

E.D. - "It was very difficult…"

**-Mrs. Higgins, Eliza Doolittle. (My Fair Lady 1964)**

**Chapter 22: What I Love About Him**

**.**

The ardor of love was amidst the dark night air.

The rays of a luminous full moon reflected off from the sparkling crystals of a quiescent lake. Swans glided like magic upon the tranquil waters. Fireflies danced in unison with the hushing wind.

Upon such an enchanting night, people were gathered together outside for a ball. The strings of violins echoed dissonantly throughout the air as the maestro guided his orchestra. Loving couples swayed away to the music.

Then suddenly, a young woman, gallant and lovely made her appearance. Her glittering gown came in the color of regal pink. Every strand of her auburn hair was pinned neatly into a gorgeous bun with exquisite diamonds for a headband.

One by one people began to cease with idle chatter as the lovely creature took the scene.

Graceful and lithe, the woman made her way across the grass in silence. Unable to simply look on in wonder, men beckoned to her, pleading her for a dance. But their cries were in vain, for her eyes remained focused on another.

Just a few feet away stood the man that she loved.

He was dressed in a black tuxedo, standing secluded with both hands casually pocketed into his pants. His tall, dark silhouette was outlined ever so perfectly by the glowing full moon. His raven hair was the color of night and yet even from afar his crimson eyes glistened resplendently red.

As if sensing her presence, he slowly looked up to find the woman of his dreams making her way towards him. Those dark, crimson orbs were like an enchanting spell as they pierced her way.

The brunette's heart went a flutter. Little by little, she took another few steps forward. It was as if she could feel the magnetic pull from the pair of eyes beckoning to her.

Once reaching her proximity, she halted to a stop in front of the handsome bachelor. She watched as his lips curved into a boyish grin.

He extended a hand out towards her, laughing huskily at her shyness as he pulled her closer to his chest. She bent her head down shyly, but he wasn't having that. Slowly, he used his thumb and forefinger to tilt her chin upwards, forcing her to look at him.

A smirk played upon his lips as he tucked the few loose strands behind her ear.

He bent down to place a chaste kiss on her lips and whispered softly, "You look beautiful…"

The brunette's heart quivered in delight like a tranquil wave coursing through her veins. She watched the soft, dominating color of red tame her entire being and smiled lovingly. Standing on the tips of her toes, she leaned in closer and enwrapped her arms around her lover's neck.

Her eyes closed slowly as she hushed out the words, "I love you."

They were so close now. Their lips were just seconds away from touching, enclosing that small bit of space, until…

"_Mikan…"_

The brunette whispered once more, "I love you."

"_Hey. Mikan…"_

"I love you, my prince…"

"_Mikan…"_

"I love you─"

"_Mikan… Hey, wake up already."_

The sound of a velvety yet gruff voice caused a certain brunette to stir in her sleep.

Seconds passed along with incoherent murmurs. Lying just beside a king-sized bed, Mikan was seen sprawled out among the floor with her legs intertwined between silk-satin sheets.

After smacking her lips together, she groaned and arose to sit up halfway while scratching at her head.

Mikan yawned with a stretch of her arms as her disarrayed strands fell over her eyes. She blinked twice, trailing up from the sight of long legs, a bare muscular chest, and a pair of crimson eyes.

She blinked again and slurred, "Are you… my prince?"

Natsume watched on at the pitiful creature before him with narrowed eyes. Wearing nothing but a pair of dark jeans with chiseled muscles glowing, he stood leaning against the side of the doorframe.

He crossed both arms over his chest. "What the hell are you talking about, idiot? Were you dreaming or something?"

Mikan's brows knitted together. "So, then my prince isn't here?"

Natsume on the other hand appeared to be struggling for words. His eyes repeatedly traced over the colorful, childlike pattern of a pink and white bra, trying not to look past the sight of cleavage, but hell… it was pretty damn tempting.

Rubbing the back of his neck, he cleared his throat and said, "Hey… Do you… really wear polka-dots for a bra?"

Mikan blinked back aloof. "Polka-dots for a bra?"

It was then that the words began to sink in. Feeling a quaint breeze pass upon her bare navel, she gasped, looked down at her pair of printed undergarments, and felt her heart drop. Her eyes widened in horror.

Hell, this wasn't happening… She was actually sitting half-naked right in front of…

Natsume broke the quietness with a disapproving click of his tongue.

"I was surprised, honestly. I thought even a little girl like you would at least wear _something_with black and lace. But a polka-dotted bra is… seriously?"

3…

2…

1…

"AAAAAAGGGH!"

**Three hours later, just outside of Tobita le' Gateau…**

"Damn that stupid girl…"

A fist pounded the table angrily as a plastic cup of coffee clattered to the floor.

Looking sullenly hostile, Natsume Hyuuga sat in his seat with one hand cupping the side of his now aching cheek.

Laughter could be heard from the table now. Sitting just across from sat his best friend who couldn't help but succumb to the humor.

"Dude," Ruka pointed reaching over the table to poke at his friend's swollen cheek, "look at how red it is. It's glowing."

"Shut up," Natsume swatted Ruka's hand away. A low growl erupted from him as he said, "I'll make that little girl pay for this…"

"You can't blame her, Natsume." Ruka sighed and took a nice sip of coffee. "I mean, you did look at her bra and not only that, but you actually made a snide remark about her not wearing _lace_. You should've seen that slap coming, man."

Natsume only snorted. "What woman in her right mind would wear a polka-dotted bra, anyway? And her panties even matched her bra, too. What, does she think that she has a small butt? They looked pretty tight on her. Her thighs are too big for something like─"

"Wait a minute," Ruka interjected, nearly choking on his sip of coffee. "You mean you actually saw her underwear too? It wasn't just the bra?"

"I've seen women wear a lot of things on their body, Ruka," Natsume retorted plainly. "And polka-dots sure as hell weren't on my menu for sexual escapades."

Ruka cringed and shook the thought away. "Which reminds me… how in the world did you happen to see Sakura-san's bra _and_ underwear, anyway? What was she doing in the same room as you?"

That one question placed a coy smile upon Natsume's lips. "That's easy," he said grinning. "That's because we both slept…"

He was quick to catch his words before letting the last few slip out. All at once, his thoughts suddenly traced back to last night's eccentric episode… one that involved him, a certain little brunette, and her enticing lips that made him drunk to a stupor as she lay by his side while they kissed.

"_That's because we both slept together in the same bed last night…"_

Natsume swallowed through a dry throat at the thought. Oh, hell there it goes… If he were tell his best friend about how he shared his bed with Mikan, Ruka would undoubtedly throw it back in his face. Then he'd probably boast about the Hyuuga heir finally falling in love, and how it would be his win for their crazy bet.

The unexpected silence caused Ruka to shift uncomfortably. "Oh, no…Natsume, don't tell me… Did you guys really… Did you _do_things to Sakura-san that shouldn't be seen in movies?"

"Shut the hell up, Ruka," Natsume said, throwing a piece of bagel at his friend.

"I don't have to explain myself to you." The hot model tried to cover up his blushing with a lofty cough. "Besides why would I waste my time doing fun things like 'that' with a naïve little girl? She's not ready for me yet."

"Gross…"

"What?"

"You just said 'yet,'" Ruka murmured, "implying that you're actually gonna… do 'that'."

Natsume's eyes rolled. "This conversation is over."

He was just about to order another coffee until a sudden vibration stirred within his jeans. Curious, he pulled out his IPhone and quirked a brow at what was written on the screen.

"One new message, huh…"

Nonchalant, he held the phone up to his ear and thumbed the answer button. A loud beep came about before a feminine voice was heard.

"_Natsume? Hey kiddo, it's your mother. Look, I just wanted to let you know that I'm coming back to Japan since I no longer have any busy scheduling going on in Italy. I've decided to come back after having received very interesting news. Well… at least it was interesting to me. Your cousin, Hotaru, informed me that you've been having a young woman staying with you these past few months, and let me just say that I found that rather surprising."_

Natsume shifted upright in his seat at the last few words.

"─_But what was even more surprising is that Hotaru told me that this new woman happened to be your new love interest. Now Natsume, listen, I know that you have a bad habit of bringing women over the house, and I know that it's not my place to tell you how to live your life, but… kiddo, you should at least let me know when you plan on settling down, especially now that you're the new Hyuuga heir. You need to watch yourself. That's why I've decided on coming over to your apartment tomorrow, and I plan on meeting this lovely young lady very soon. Oh! And another thing, don't forget to buy a new suit for your upcoming inauguration in March, and make sure that you wear a fresh pair of underwear that same day as well. I'll see you soon, son!"_

**_Click!_**

After a good moment of silence, Natsume leaned back and massaged his temples. "Damn that Imai…"

"Bad news?" Ruka asked.

"Kaoru is coming back to town," Natsume said dryly. He sighed. "She plans on meeting Mikan. And thanks to my annoying cousin, it looks like I have to make an arrangement for them to actually get together."

"Wow…! Japan's legacy model and once upon-a-time Iman is actually coming back? And she wants to meet Sakura-san too, huh? That'll be something."

"Of course I'm not letting it happen." Natsume clicked his tongue at the thought. "Like hell I'll let Kaoru intervene with my plans. If she finds out about Mikan actually being homeless and that I'm using her to win a bet, who knows what she'll do."

"Yeeaah, but here's the thing, Natsume," Ruka probed, closing his eyes with a smile of amusement. "Your mom's said that she's coming _tomorrow_ to meet Mikan."

"Yeah, so?"

"So… when has it been in your mom's nature to mean anything that she says? I mean as far as her arrivals go." Ruka's eyes opened as he stared at his best friend all knowingly. "Come on, man. Think about it. Knowing her way of doing things, and how _her_ schedule works, she might be on her way over to your suite right now."

It took a good five seconds for that thought to actually settle in Natsume's head.

"…Well, damn."

**.**

Smoke was fuming in the air.

The burning smell of tomato sauce flooded throughout the room.

Hearing the fire alarm going off, Mikan panicked as she ran her way into the kitchen. She mentally prayed that her prepped meal hadn't met an overly cooked end. After all, she had poured her heart into cooking a dish of four-cheese lasagna.

Nonoko would be out of town for two weeks or so, leaving only Mikan and her raven haired model alone together. Natsume had taken his leave hours ago to meet up with Ruka. Seeing as that she would be alone in the house for a while, Mikan took it upon herself to prepare a delicious meal for the man that she loved.

Also, it… didn't hurt to try to cook up something nice for a guy who had earned a good slap in the face just hours earlier…Yet even despite all of her hardworking efforts of scouring through four to six cook books, it appeared that her meal didn't go as smoothly as planned.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

The fire alarm sounded off as Mikan tried her best to fan away the air of smoke. She opened the door to the oven before swatting on a plaid glove on either hand, and pulled out a glass tray.

After carrying her tray of lasagna over to the kitchen counter, she took off her gloves and removed the foil. Her eyes saddened at the sight of overcooked cheese and burnt pasta.

"Oh no, it's burnt. Natsume will never eat this…"

Ding!

Suddenly, the sound of the bell coming from the front door echoed from the living room.

"Coming!" Mikan called back.

Damn all the luck… First she goes and burns a perfect meal and now, someone picks the time of all times to come to the door.

The ringing of the doorbell continued to chime. Whoever the person was at the front door clearly didn't have a high tolerance for patience.

Mikan stumbled over the few cooking books she had left in the middle of the living room and made her way towards the door.

"Just a minute, please!" She undid the few locks of the door, and fumbled with the knob. "Yes, how may I help…?"

Her words ceased.

A beautiful woman dressed in a fashionably, royal-blue leather coat stood before her.

She looked like a professional model with the way she stood with both hands situated laxly into her pockets while leaning against the side of the doorframe. She wore a pair of black designer shades, and her long raven hair cascaded like a waterfall upon her faux-furred coat.

She whipped off her shades before folding them neatly into the pocket of her coat and greeted professionally, "Good afternoon."

Mikan swallowed slowly. She stared back in awe, captivated by the familiar pair of red eyes that resembled Natsume's. Come to think of it… this woman looked exactly like Natsume ─ precisely identical in fact.

She bowed shyly, "Oh, y-yes, good afternoon…"

After having exchanged a share of greetings, an awkward quietness bounced back between the two. The woman's hard and guarded expression stared over the timid girl in front of her as if inspecting something completely foreign.

Mikan slowly gulped and was just about to break the silence, until…

"Ooooh you're absolutely precious!"

Mikan froze. The poor girl never even saw it coming as she found herself abruptly being pulled into a loving embrace.

The eccentric woman giggled in adoration. "Let me get a good look at you. These cheeks," she said, patting the brunette's face lightly, "they're fatly round and soft like a baby's bottom. And just look at those thighs." Next, she speculated Mikan's figure with a nod of approval. "Perfect, absolutely perfect ─ you'll have no problem at all popping out children."

Boy did the woman's hands know how to travel… Question marks were practically bouncing back and forth through the brunette's head. Poor Mikan didn't know what to do as she stood helplessly confused while being skimmed over for inspection.

_Just what… the hell is going on here?_

Mikan was just about to sputter out a demand of whom the hell the woman was… up until she witnessed the woman zip past her shoulder faster than light.

"Ah! W-wait, please," Mikan stuttered. She rushed after the oddball who had decided to make her own entrance inside without permission. "Ma'am, I don't mean to be rude, but I really don't think you should take it upon yourself to just─"

"Is this the living room?" the woman interjected.

"Eh?" was Mikan's only response. "Yes it is, but anyway, I don't think─"

"What are these things?" the woman cut in once again while kicking around the few cooking books that were lying on the floor.

"They're cooking books."

"Cooking books?" the woman repeated, arching a brow at the word. She looked about the premises of the suite and then snapped her head over to the brunette. "You mean that you need cooking books to learn how to prepare a proper meal? Where's Nonoko? Isn't she the maid that usually works here?"

"W-well, Nonoko will be out of town for a few weeks or so."

"That right?" the woman said, using her index finger to inspect for the bit of dirt off of a nearby vase. "Well, I guess it can't be helped. At least Natsume finally has a cute girl with manners roaming about the house and not some overly obsessed twit. By the way dear, I…" She inhaled a whiff of smoke with a wrinkled nose. "What on earth is that smell?"

"…Burnt lasagna," Mikan murmured.

"Oh… Well, I guess that doesn't matter, anyway." The woman gave a nice flip of her dark tresses and made herself comfortable upon the leather couch.

Mikan watched half dazed by how the beautiful woman's graceful moves were like that of a swan.

"If you don't mind me asking, ma'am… what exactly are you here for, anyway?"

Eyes now closed, the woman sat professionally with an airy smile upon her lips. "I've got more important things to discuss. Believe it or not, young lady, I'm here on more business matters so to speak regarding Natsume's well-being." Her red eyes slowly opened, blazing with amusement as she said, "I've come to meet the woman that stole my son's heart."

Mikan blinked back aloof. "Your s-son?" she repeated. Slowly, her mind warped around the two words as her brown eyes widened. "Then, you must be…"

"Kaoru Hyuuga, Natsume's mother," the woman finished plainly. She winked with a small grin. "It's a pleasure to meet you at last, Mikan Sakura."

"You… know my name?"

Kaoru laughed. "But of course. Why wouldn't I? I know _every_ move of _every_ woman who enjoys prancing their way around my kid. It's not like I'm a rookie at this you know. Natsume's ways with the opposite sex far exceeds my expectations." She sighed and added, "Much to my dismay, anyway."

Mikan couldn't help but blush at that last sentence. She knew that the man she loved happened to be an all-around ladies' man, but hearing it from his own mother was just…

"You don't have to say it," she mumbled lowly.

Kaoru laughed again. She arose from the couch and clapped her hands.

"Well, Mikan, I hope you know that I didn't come here to waste time. I'm interested in finding out about you in particular. So! We're going to have a girl's day out and enjoy the fun, just the two of us. We'll head to the mall in fact, and then go to a restaurant. I want to get to know all about the woman who has captured my son's attention and the possible candidate for his new wife."

"Wife?" Mikan gaped in embarrassment. "N-no, ma'am… I think you've got it all wrong. I'm not─"

"Right, right, you're not properly dressed, I know," Kaoru was quick to interject. She clicked her tongue in disapproval and lightly tugged at the collar of Mikan's shirt. "Get rid of that hideous shirt and dress into something more appealing so that we can go out."

Ouch…

"Do you have any long-sleeved shirts? Pink, perhaps? Yes, pink is definitely your color. Show me your dressing room please, Mikan."

Okay, so aside from good looks, there were two resembling qualities that this eccentric woman shared with her son. Not only did she have a bad habit of being bored when it came to listening, but she also had no problem with being candidly frank.

Mikan smiled sheepishly. "B-but I-I can't… I mean, I can't just─"

"Mikan."

Hearing the crisp, dry tone of her name was enough to make Mikan shut her mouth.

Kaoru stopped with a small sigh and slowly turned her head to the brunette. A small smile grazed her lips.

"I would advise you to go along with my plan of having a girl's day out." Her red eyes darkened with a special glint as she said, "You'll soon come to find that I'm not as patient as my son."

Mikan could swear that a part of her soul had just stirred after that. She gulped through a dry throat and nodded.

"Y-yes, ma'am."

Alright, scratch that… this woman was odd, frank, and a lot more intimidating than Natsume could ever be.

**.**

**During the time of 3:30pm…**

The word interesting could not simply justify the cheerfully amusing Mikan Sakura.

After practically forcing the girl out of the house, Kaoru expected the brunette to be sluggish about shopping, or maybe a little apprehensive. She at _least_ expected her to be intimidated simply because she carried the superior title of being Natsume's mother, but… in the end, little Miss Mikan turned out to be quite the surprise.

In fact, Mrs. Kaoru Hyuuga found herself being charmed by the lovely girl. Originally, she meant to follow through her plan of exposing the brunette's 'true colors,' and getting rid of another possible pest that may have been flying around her son's life. However, she rather enjoyed Mikan Sakura's company while exploring the mall.

Watching her cutely, childish actions made Kaoru smile. Mikan loved taking different routes to the many outlet stores, and each time she spotted a food stand giving out free samples, her eyes glistened as if the rays of heaven were shining down upon her.

Kaoru couldn't deny the joy that she felt, being able to enjoy of what felt like the daughter she never had accompanying her. She enjoyed dragging the brunette by the wrist, enjoyed forcing her inside of a dressing room to try on the trendy styles of Michael Korus, and just… loved watching the ditzy girl smile.

In the end, time flew by quite nicely for both Kaoru and Mikan. After three hours of running about, Mrs. Hyuuga decided upon one of her favorite stores, _Pink Wink's_ for some heels browsing.

Of course… heels were never Mikan's cup of tea.

"Mikan, sweetheart, balance would you?" Kaoru instructed from her seat. "You look like a trembling twig about to tip over."

Standing just in front of a mirror, an antsy looking brunette was doing her best for walking while wearing a pair of hot pink heels. The five inched shoes caused the muscles in her legs to shake like JELL-O.

"I'm t-trying," Mikan said, concentrating. "I'm not very good at walking in heels, you know."

Kaoru sighed. "You're not very good at trying either." She laughed instructed Mikan to hand over the shoes.

Thankful, the brunette happily obliged as she watched Mrs. Hyuuga slip her feet into the heels like a pro. Kaoru tapped the toe of her shoes against the floor and winked.

"Look, it's all about the calves and muscles in those slender legs. That's the potent power that a woman has to have when she wears heels. You have to own them." She straightened her back for perfect posture with both hands situated on her hips. "For example…"

Kaoru's aura was flawless. It was like having Wonder Woman strutting down the walkway for a red carpet premiere.

"Amazing…!" Mikan clapped admirably.

Kaoru shrugged. "I used to model before I started getting a baby bump. And little Natsume didn't make it easy for me either. Anyway, that was a long time ago. So, what did you think about these pink heels, Mikan?"

"What do I think?" Mikan repeated with raised brows.

_I think they give me hell_ ─ was what she wanted to say.

"Oh, I don't know… I mean, I guess they're kind of pretty, but─"

"We'll take them!" Once again, Kaoru was quick to interrupt as she ordered a clerk to box the shoes.

"B-but Mrs. Hyuuga, I… You can't buy them now. I still don't know if I can walk in them all the way yet. Shouldn't we wait?"

"Nonsense, they looked just fine," Kaoru dismissed. "Besides, I'm getting famished and I don't believe in such a thing as shopping while starving. Let's get these babies boxed up for you and then go get a bite to eat. Sound good?"

Mikan could swear that she was having a workout just by being with such an odd woman. Then again, it felt… nice hearing the word, food.

She laughed. "That sounds perfect!"

**Blue Lobster, 7:45pm…**

The fresh aroma of catfish and freshly baked cheddar biscuits danced about the air. The strings of violins played about the room.

Mikan inhaled the scent of her meal and smiled. She and Mrs. Hyuuga were both situated inside a seafood restaurant where a bottle of wine complimented the middle of their table and a candlelit lamp.

"Well, I have to say, Mikan," Kaoru started as she finished breaking off a piece of crab. "This afternoon turned out to be a lot more interesting than I thought."

Mikan finished gulping down a biscuit and asked, "It w-was?"

Kaoru nodded. "I got to know a lot of interesting things about the young woman who stole my son's heart. For instance, I found out that not only does she seem to have a thing for burning up lasagna, but she also has a pallet of two to three stomachs, and she has a poor walk when it comes to wearing heels."

"Oh… Sorry."

"What for?" Kaoru laughed. "I'm glad that my son has some amusing company in his life."

Mikan fingered with one of her strands in nervousness. "I'm not really… W-well, he and I aren't r-really…"

"At the least," Kaoru started, "you definitely have the inner beauty that a lot of women appear to lack these days." She studied Mikan with a small grin. "You have a kindred soul, a certain light that makes me feel… warm inside."

Such high compliments coming from a gorgeous woman caused Mikan to go shy.

She bowed her head. "Thank you very much, Mrs. Hyuuga. That means a lot coming from a beautiful woman like you."

Kaoru nodded accordingly. Suddenly, her red eyes glistened fervently with a hinted seriousness.

"There's something that I've been meaning to ask you, Mikan," she said, using her elbow to scoot her plate off to the side. "It's regarding Natsume. I'm intrigued by what it is that seems to keep you to remain by his side. He's not the most modest of men you know. I mean when it comes to an actual _relationship _with a woman, anyway. So, what… is it exactly that you see in my son? What is it that you love about him?"

Mikan stiffened. "What… do I love about your son?" The question somewhat caught her off guard. There was so many ways to answer, but she seemed to fumble for words while saying, "Well, that is to say, I-I… I love everything about your son, Mrs. Hyuuga."

Kaoru arched a derisive brow, prompting her to continue.

"Sure, he can have a bad temper sometimes," Mikan said, shrugging her shoulders. "He's not like other men. No, Natsume has… his own special aura to him that draws people to him. I guess that's what I love about him the most."

Kaoru folded both hands underneath her chin, propped both elbows upon the edge of the table, and nodded, "Go on."

Mikan blushed, laughing nervously as she thought about her many reasons.

"Natsume opened a whole different world for me. H-he… He was able to open up a door to a different world that I never knew existed. Natsume's confidence was eccentric yet mesmerizing… I love that about him."

She smiled a little to herself.

"I love the way the color of his ruby eyes shine when he smiles at me. I love the way he scowls and grunts whenever he gets frustrated. I love the way he leaves his slippers lying around the house and how he gets upset because he can never find them. I love the way he's stubbornly possessive when he doesn't want any other guy looking at me. I love the way he says my name. I even love the way his voice sounds. I-I love him."

It took three split seconds for a gasp to slip out of her mouth before she realized what she had just said.

She waved back apologetically. "O-oh, that part w-wasn't supposed to come out…"

"It's okay, sweetheart," Kaoru shrugged and laughed. "I think… I understand a little more now."

Suddenly, three loud vibrations interrupted their conversation. Kaoru arched a questioning brow as she pulled out her phone and clicked her tongue after looking at the familiar name upon the screen.

"Well, well, would you look at that? Natsume's actually calling me. Hah! ─ This never happens." She laughed and winked at Mikan. "It must be because he knows that I took you hostage."

As if she knew that truth all too well, Mikan smiled and took a sip of wine to keep from laughing.

Sick of the repetitive rings coming from her phone, Kaoru sighed, clicked the answer button and answered, "Yes Natsume, what is it?"

"_Where is she, Kaoru?"_

Kaoru smirked at the annoyed, rugged voice. "Are you mad?" she asked, already knowing that her son was upset. "And what are you talking about?"

"_Kaoru… What did you do with Mikan? Did you scare her off? Did you‒"_

"Oh shut up and calm down child," Kaoru sighed as she took a sip of wine. "The girl is just fine. She's here with me right now at Blue Lobster in Central."

"_In Central?"_

"Yes, that's right. I couldn't let the poor thing starve to death, now could I?"

"…_I'm on my way."_

Kaoru released an exasperated sigh once the line ended. She gave a shake of head.

"Honestly, that kid of mine…" After taking in her last swig of wine, she sighed again, and looked expectantly to the brunette. "Mikan, when you decide to produce me with grandchildren, please don't pop one out that's as stubborn and headstrong as my son."

Mikan choked back on her drink. Cheeks blushing mad, she coughed out, "Y-yes, Mrs. Hyuuga..."

**.**

Both Kaoru and Mikan were standing just outside of the restaurant.

Kaoru remained lax and pulled out a lighter from her coat pocket before lighting the tip of her cigarette. She blew out a small air of smoke, flipping her dark tresses over her shoulder.

Mikan smiled admirably at how Mrs. Hyuuga could still look so beautiful while smoking. Although, it was obvious as to where Natsume had picked up the bad habit…

Suddenly, the screeching sound of tires could be heard as a red sports car came swerving to a good stop in the front of the restaurant. Natsume casually stepped out of the car while slamming his door shut.

Mrs. Hyuuga smirked at the sight of her son displaying his bad boy, runway walk as he came to meet her.

"It's nice to see you, son. You're looking handsome just as ever. Did you learn a new walk since you've been modeling?"

Natsume only rolled his eyes as he casually passed her by. His eyes settled in relief upon the brunette. "Mikan, are you alright?" he asked her.

Mikan smiled at the hint of worry in his voice. "Yeah, I'm okay. Actually, your mother and I had a lot of fun getting to know each other, today."

"That right?" Natsume drawled lazily. He titled his head over to his mother in disbelief. "You guys had fun, huh?"

The two proud Hyuuga's continued to stare at each other in silence ─ one smiling ever so innocently as the other had on his usual poker face.

Sensing the awkward atmosphere, Mikan backed up slowly to let the two have their space.

"W-well, I'll let you two have a moment to reunite and talk. I'm going to run to the ladies room for a second."

Natsume watched as she ran inside of the restaurant before turning his head back to his mother.

"Kaoru," he sighed, "what on earth were you thinking?"

"What do you mean?" Kaoru asked.

This in turn, earned a shot of narrowed eyes from her annoyed son. "Don't play dumb. I thought you said you wouldn't decide to meet Mikan until tomorrow."

Scoffing at her son's dry tone, Kaoru gave a flip to her hair and shrugged. "Well, obviously I changed my mind. Besides, if you knew exactly when I decided on meeting her, then you probably would've stuck around. It's no fun having a serious guy who's all work and no games." A smile played at her lips as she pretended to inspect her nails. "By the way Natsume, I've been meaning to ask this. Our little Mikan… she's homeless, is she not?"

Natsume's red eyes widened. "You… H-how did you know that?"

"Natsume, please," Kaoru sighed, rolling her eyes. She pinched her adorable son's cheek. "I'm your mom after all. Keeping an eye on you as well as the little 'kittens' you decide to hang around nowadays is practically like a second job for me. And besides, you know that your cousin has a bad habit of leaking _all_sorts of information to me."

"So, then… you already know?"

"If you're referring to this little 'game' that you and Ruka have going on," Kaoru drawled, placing a hand on one hip, "then yes, I know about all of it. And Natsume let me just say this." She sighed then, knitting her brows into a small frown. "It's okay to fool around every now and then, especially when you're young. But if you make the wrong move by fooling around with a woman's heart for too long… you'll end up losing everything."

Natsume only snorted. "Is that all? It's not like you to be the serious type."

Kaoru gave a snort of her own. "That's all. In fact I don't see a point in wasting my breath on an insufferable know it all for a son." She smirked. "It appears you've not only inherited my good looks, but you've got my pomposity as well. Anyway, I won't bother nosing my way into whatever it is that you and Ruka are doing. But don't bother complaining later after your rash actions are all said and done. It's your choice, kid."

Natsume simply stared back at his mother. He opened his mouth to speak, closing it with second thoughts with a shake his head.

"You… really are something."

Kaoru smiled and whipped out her designer shades from her coat pocket. "I absolutely adore that girl, Natsume," she said, putting on her shades. "She's so much different than those original things that you normally have hanging around you. I love her innocence, her sweetness, and the way that her personality just shines, you know? It's breathtaking, really."

Right before Natsume had a chance to probe his mother for more details, a sleek black limo appeared before them. A chauffeur stepped out as he opened the door for his awaiting guest.

Mrs. Hyuuga sighed. "Well, there's my limo. I'd best be going. I have another appointment coming up in Italy, again."

"You're leaving, already?" Natsume asked, not really surprised.

His mother nodded simply and placed a light peck on his cheek before clacking her heels away to the limo. Natsume's eyes rolled as he witnessed his mother giving a swinging sashay to her hips. Clearly, she was purposely making a statement about her youth.

The tinted windows to the limo lowered down as Kaoru popped her head out while saying, "Oh, and tell Mikan that I'm sorry that I didn't bid her a proper farewell. I'm not really good with goodbyes."

Natsume watched on, still shaking his head a little to himself as he watched the limo take its leave. That weird, overly cunning mother of his… She always had a way of making his life interesting.

"Okay, I'm back!"

Mikan finally appeared out of the restaurant.

She clacked her way up to Natsume, doing her best not to trip in her pink heels. The hot model held back a laugh at the pitiful sight and playfully tugged at one of her brown strands.

Mikan pouted then noticed someone missing. "Where's Mrs. Hyuuga? Did she leave?"

Natsume shrugged. "You'll be seeing her again," his monotone voice implied. After giving a small yawn, he gave a playful flick to Mikan's forehead. "Hey, I want you to come with me. There's something I want to show you."

.

It seemed like three hours as Mikan sat in silence inside of the car, curious as to where Natsume was taking her.

They mounted on top of what appeared to be a small hill where a bridge connected to the route heading towards a grandeur building.

Natsume slowed his sports car to a good stop before parking it just beside a tree. He wasted no time as he slid out of his seat and rushed over to help the brunette out of the passenger's side. Mikan blushed as he took her small hand.

She was led away towards the edge of the bridge and her eyes widened in awe at the magnificent sight. She felt like she was standing over all of Tokyo as the beautiful city glistened like a starry night sky.

Glimmering lights shone brilliantly from a far off building. It stood in all of its towering glory amidst the city.

"Wow," Mikan gasped. "Natsume, what is that place?"

Natsume grinned in satisfaction at the brunette's look of wonder. "That's Rubis de la Vie, the most popular luxurious suite owned by Hyuuga Hotels," he answered, staring off at the scene. "That's also where your final test will be held. You'll show up with me at my inauguration when people come to welcome me as the new Hyuuga heir."

Mikan turned to look at him. "My last test?" she asked.

"That's right," Natsume said. His eyes were still fixated upon the building. "After you impress everyone there, displaying your eloquence as a beautiful young woman, the bet will finally end." He rested his elbows upon the bar of the bridge, grinning a little to himself. "With the way you've been progressing, Ruka and I are now tied toe to toe. But that's about to change. Once you show everyone what you've got during the month of March, the bet will definitely be my win for sure."

His win… right…

Mikan felt her heart contract as she thought about how close the bet was coming to an end. She wondered if Natsume, though stubborn and self-absorbed, cared anything for her the way that she cared for him. The only thing she wanted to do was be with the man that she had somehow come to love.

She studied the smirk of victory on Natsume's lips.

"And after that… everything will be over, right?"

Natsume turned to look at her. He heard the evident pain within her voice. The somber expression on her face was enough to make him feel like an idiot.

His mouth opened up to speak but hell; he had never been good at consoling women with words. Unsure of what to do, he cleared his throat and pulled her closer to his side.

"Don't worry about anything, Mikan. I'll be by your side during the inauguration," he assured her. He massaged the skin of her hand with the few comforting brushes of his thumb. "I won't let you leave my sight for even a second. I promise…"

Mikan's heart fluttered at those words. Feeling her body swoon from his touch, she smiled back lovingly.

"I believe you…"

Natsume grinned and snapped his fingers as if suddenly remembering something.

"I've got something for you." He reached into the pocket of his jeans, but stopped short as he demanded, "Close your eyes."

Mikan arched a brow with a small grin of her own before doing what she was told. Just in case, Natsume waved his hand in front of her face to test her. Then next, he casually reached into the side pocket of his coat to pull out a carrot diamonded necklace.

After an inhale of breath, he cleared his throat. "Okay… You can open them now."

Mikan slowly opened her eyes. Suddenly, the brilliant color of orange caught her attention. "Natsume…!" she gasped. "This is… This looks just like…"

"Do you like it?"

Mikan nodded. She was at a loss for words as she admired the beautiful diamond, brushing her thumb over its smooth exterior. "Oh, it's beautiful! I… You actually bought this for me?"

The evident excitement made Natsume feel smug.

"Here, let me put it on for you." He took the necklace from the brunette and situated it upon her neck. "I bought it earlier this morning before I went to meet with Ruka. I remember the story you told me when you said that you lost your favorite necklace. You said that it was a keepsake from your mom."

"She had given it to me before she passed away," Mikan whispered, smiling somberly at the thought. "And then like an idiot, I went and... I'll never forget how upset I was, knowing that I would never be able to see that necklace again."

Natsume tilted the woman's chin upwards and stared down into hazel eyes. "But now you have another chance. You better take care of this one. After all, it's something you got from me."

"I'll protect this one with my life," Mikan laughed and placed a chaste peck upon her necklace. She stared up at the man she loved with eyes full of affection, and right there… she felt that she could die in peace. "I'll protect it with my life, because… because it's from someone that I cherish more than my life."

Natsume suddenly noticed her small tears. "Why are you crying?"

Mikan shook her head. "I don't mean to, Natsume. I… You… You did everything for me. You gave me everything, and I guess I just feel… so thankful."

Natsume rolled his eyes. "Everything is for you," he whispered before stealing Mikan's lips for a kiss.

The taste of cinnamon seemed to entice the brunette's tongue as she inhaled the heavenly scent. She succumbed to Natsume's rough nips which pleaded for more of her. After a bit of teasing, Natsume rested his forehead against hers, watching her now swollen lips in satisfaction.

Mikan buried her head into his chest. "I'll make you really proud of me. I promise."

Natsume laughed ruggedly and then cradled the woman to his chest. He planted a kiss on top of her head.

"I know you will…"

The loving pair stood in silence, holding each other as they savored what time they had together with the remaining days that were steadily approaching. But little did they know that they were being watched from afar...

Hidden perfectly amid the branches of trees and bushes, a sly character studied the lovely couple in silence. The small flashing of a camera flickered from the dark shadows. A coy grin curved at the corner of a man's lips.

For Natsume and Mikan, their time together upon this beautiful night was just the calm before the storm…

**.**

This was one heck of a page! I am a wordy freak yeah? : P

But I hope you liked! And if you did (whispers) Review please^^


	23. We'll Have No Weeds Here

Disclaimer: The story is mine.

.

"I despise those gowns with _weeds_ here and _weeds_ there."

-Professor Higgins My Fair Lady (1964)

**Chapter 23: We'll Have No Weeds Here**

.

The sound of revving engine roared aloud. A strawberry-blonde pounded her foot against the pedal to her Mercedes and swerved her way into a screeching stop just in front of a grandeur mansion.

She wasted no time getting out, leg first, careful so as not to trip in her red pumps as she slammed the car door shut.

"Greetings madam, welcome back!"

The young woman ignored the warm welcome from her maids and brushed past them towards the front door. Her shoes clacked throughout the halls with jet speed as she made her through. She turned a sharp corner with eyes focused straight ahead.

"Is she here yet?" Luna busted through the doors of the dining room, hair whipping over her shoulders. "I don't have all day. I've got to get ready for tonight."

A handsome red head was seen sitting lax with one leg over the other upon a leather chair. Ignoring his cousin's queenly aura, Reo continued slurping his malt through a straw before slowly turning to look at Luna.

"Do you have to come in so loud like that? With that kind of attitude you won't ever get a boyfriend."

Luna rolled her eyes. "You're one to talk. Your insensitive attitude is just as bad. I'm just better at showing mine, that's all."

Reo grinned. "See, that's the difference between you and me. At least I can hide mine in a way where I can still get a date. Not to mention a good lay if you wanted to know."

"Well I didn't want to know," Luna deadpanned. She paced back and forth across the room unsteadily. "The only thing I do want to know is when our guest from the slums will get here."

"Oh yeah, that," Reo yawned. "Well you offered up enough money to get her attention. You don't think she'll show?"

Luna ignored him as she mumbled under her breath, stopping every once in a while to bite at her nails, and then continue pacing again. The dramatic scene was becoming too much for Reo, who by this time was throwing animal crackers at her.

She flinched after having one thrown at her head. "I hope you're going to pick those up. And those crackers were imported from France. What are you five years old?"

"No, I'm bored," Reo answered plainly. "Watching you walk back and forth like that is annoying. Chill out already."

"How can I?" Luna gestured with her arms. "I mean I went out of my way to invite that stupid little brunette's relative over here who's nowhere to be found and I still haven't found a dress to wear for tonight's outing which is my next chance to look good for Natsume, and‒"

"That's why I'm saying it's annoying," Reo groaned. "So what if the woman isn't here yet. It's not like we'll need her too much for what we're planning anyway."

Luna rolled her eyes. "And why's that?"

Her cousin simply smirked. Reo sighed as he pulled out an envelope out from his jacket.

"Here," he offered it to her. "Take it as a super early birthday gift."

Luna arched a brow as she swapped it away. She pulled out the contents of what looked like photos.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean? My birthday is isn't even close…" She paused on the words to come. Her eyes widened.

The shocking silence was a positive effect for Reo. He leaned back into his seat, smirking on the sly.

"Is it safe to assume that you're happy?"

Luna's eyes slowly subsided from shock to what looked like rage. But something happened then. Her body began to tremble. She grabbed the sides of her body and went from chuckling to obnoxious laughter.

Reo watched her in silence. "Or… maybe crazy?"

Still laughing, Luna leaned over to grab the side of a chair. She hung her head back and inhaled a good breath. After a while she composed herself to stand. Her eyes were cold now, ire mixed with undying humor.

"It was too perfect," she mused. "I knew that it was just too perfect. Everything was right there plain as day. And it took me only now to realize it." She laughed and patted at Reo's head. "I'm such an idiot."

"Hey, hey," Reo swatted her hand away. "I knew it was a mistake to give you that. You've gone even crazier now."

Just then there came a few light knocks to the door. An old man called from the other side.

"Madame, the special 'guest' that you've requested for has just now arrived. Shall I allow her to enter?"

Luna finished off one last laugh. "This day has just gotten better. And yes you silly butler, bring our guest inside immediately."

The doors slowly creaked open and in walked a short, stocky woman. Her dark hair was put up in a bun with countless pins, and she wore a floral dress as if she were trying to blend in with high society.

"Why if it isn't Miss Sakura's mother, Yumiko,-san," Luna said welcoming the woman with open arms. "It's a pleasure to meet you in person. You may not remember me but I happen to be _the_ Luna Koizumi. I recall your face at the last ball that was held in December."

"I remember ya even without introductions," Yumiko nodded politely. "Who wouldn't know someone with a lot of money in a good part of town?"

Luna winced at the broken language. "I'm glad that you could make it here. I trust that my address wasn't too hard to find?"

"Eh, it wasn't too hard. And I was promised a good amount of money if I showed up so here I am. But what business do ya have with me exactly?"

"Yes well, I was just getting to that part. Please sit down." Luna gestured to Reo's seat and shooed him away for their guest to sit instead. "If I may ask, you are related to Mikan Sakura am I right?"

Yumiko whipped her nose in the air. "That scrawny little thing ain't my child. I was forced with the goodness of my heart to keep that rat in my home due to her father ranting about how she was his only little girl."

"But you are in some relation to her," Luna prodded. "As in she does happen to be a citizen from that filthy, I-I mean… from that rather eccentric area of Como, right?"

Reo leaned against the side of the wall with a small grin. "I was curious as well."

"What, did the girl say that she came from somewhere else?" Yumiko chided. "Listen, I don't care what she does. She's the one that decided to up and leave. It makes one less mouth to feed. Though I don't know what's so special about her that she could afford to get with that one handsome man with red eyes. I hear she's been prancing around in fancy get up with an heir of some sort."

"Then it's safe to assume that Mikan Sakura doesn't have any cousins… distant cousins, perhaps?"

"Is that what she told you?" Yumiko snorted. "That girl ain't got a single family member left except for her father. But I got him wrapped tight around my finger."

Luna couldn't hide her evident smile. "Yumiko-san, I believe that I'm coming to like you more and more. Please, do continue."

The car ride was a quiet one as Mikan stared at the handsome man beside her.

February was nearly over, and the two were on their way to a social event upon this given night. Although it was bone-chilling cold outside, Mikan's heart felt warmth dancing inside as her eyes traced over Natsume's features.

He was busy staring outside the window, mumbling about how the weather was too damn chilly for his liking. She smiled to herself. Her eyes closed as she inched closer to his shoulder and inhaled that favorable sweet, cinnamon-wood scent. She lost her senses for a minute and rested her head upon his arm.

"What's wrong?"

Natsume's velvety voice brought her back to reality. His red eyes stared down at her in concern.

"You look sick. Don't feel well?"

"N-no, I'm good," Mikan pulled away. "I'm fine, honest."

"Then what's with the weird look on your face. It's like you're spacing out."

"I'm not sick I said. I just kind of got tired."

Natsume stared at her blankly for a moment and then snorted. "Then at least try to look like you're not a daydreaming klutz, baka."

"Huh?" Mikan blinked back. "You didn't have to‒"

"Tell me if you don't feel well."

Mikan's tongue was caught in her mouth as the hot model reached down to grasp her hand.

His smoldering eyes stared at her through his raven bangs. He bent his head down to rest in the crevice of her collarbone. Before she could react, she felt his hot tongue tease at her neck and nearly yelped when he nipped at her skin. His scent spilled everywhere to the point where she let out a low moan.

"Don't make me worry about you the whole night," Natsume breathed into her ear. "It'd be too troublesome to drag around a sick person."

_The sly jerk_, Mikan thought. There he goes again, playing the rude hot guy and then the seductive bachelor the next.

Mikan turned away. "T-that's why I'm saying I'm not sick. Who's the baka now?"

She composed herself but still held tight to that one hand as if her life depended on it. She bit her lip. It was getting harder to hide her feelings. Sooner than later, she would have to let him know, but...his attention was focused on other things these days like winning a stupid bet. Feelings would have to come later.

Mikan sighed and opened her mouth to speak but was blocked out by the sound of tires screeching.

"We're here," Natsume said as the car came to a stop. He looked to Mikan. "This will be one of the last few events that we go to before the night of my inauguration. Let's show Ruka what we're made of before that time comes."

He climbed out of the car, still making sure to keep hold to the little brunette's hand. Mikan smiled wistful. For her, those words meant let's put on a good show before we have to split up soon.

They entered the corridors of an exquisite building. All sorts of high society were seen talking amongst themselves. Lovely lanterns hung from the ceilings like lit bulbs from a fantasy. Of course the one thing that caught Mikan's attention the most was the beautiful décor of food that were displayed everywhere.

"Yo! Natsume, Sakura-san!"

The two turned to find Japan's youngest Iron chef rushing over to them. Ruka grinned at how secure Natsume's hand was intertwined with Mikan's.

"So you guys decided to show up to the festival food event after all. I didn't think you'd be up to it."

Natsume snorted. "Ruka, don't forget who you're talking to. I said I'd win out this bet by proving how much Mikan can become a real woman and I plan on keeping that‒"

"Chocolate!" Mikan pointed out excitedly.

Straight ahead was a chocolate fountain that had the brunette happily on her toes. Natsume seemed irked by her excitement as he used a hand to close her now drooling mouth.

Ruka grinned. "You were saying?"

Natsume ignored him. He nudged Mikan in the arm who nudged him back in annoyance.

"This girl really needs to calm it down when it comes to such trivial things."

That one monotone voice could only belong to one person. Gracing her friends with her presence, the lovely Hotaru Imai strode her way over to join them.

"Imai," Natsume greeted bored.

Hotaru didn't even bother exchanging glances. She came to stand by Mikan's side, intertwining her arm with hers.

"I see that Hyuuga decided to let you out of your cage tonight, Mikan. I guess I can't blame you if you get excited by the sight of chocolate."

"She means that it's good to have you two out again," Ruka added quickly after seeing Natsume look like he was ready to swear off.

"Oi, oi! The gang is finally here."

Appearing on the scene, Tsubasa waved happily with Youichi tagging by his side. The two definitely lived up to their reputation as designers. One looked seductively handsome in a regal blue tux while the other sported a nice green.

"Look Youichi," Tsubasa said, ruffling at his friend's hair. "Your new favorite crush is here. After the night at the ball, he couldn't stop spazzing over how hot Mikan looked. And the guy is the one that helped with her dress too. "

"Shut up you idiot," Youichi drawled, stomping on Tsubasa's foot. "Yo, Natsume-nii." His grey eyes shifted over to Mikan and then he looked away. "H-hi…"

Mikan found him to be cute. "And hello to you too, You-chan."

Youichi flinched, blushing at the nickname. "Y-You-chan?"

Everyone held back a laugh. No one had ever made it possible for 'Natsume's double' to go shy on the spot.

Hotaru pulled at Mikan's arm to escort her away. "Mikan, Anna and Shouda are over by the refreshments. Let's go bother them for a bit."

"Oh okay," Mikan nodded. She paused to look at Natsume.

He eyed her for a small second and sighed. "Do what you want. Just… remember what I told you earlier."

The hint of worry in his voice was evident, Mikan could tell. She smiled reassuringly.

"I'll be back!"

She turned her back to leave but Natsume felt something come over him then. For some reason he couldn't shake off this strange feeling. It felt as if that was the last time that he would get to see her smile at him. It felt like…she was leaving him for good.

Without thinking, he reached out for her wrist and called, "Hey."

The two stared at each other for a good moment. Natsume looked at her as if searching for something in her eyes.

The sound of her meek voice broke in. "Natsume? Are you okay?"

"Ah… Sorry about that. I um… Just make sure you come back." Natsume slowly released her wrist and underlined with, "It's a promise. Come back to me."

His voice sounded so pleading that Mikan didn't even notice his hand slightly tremble when he let go.

She managed a bright smile. "I promise, definitely."

Natsume watched her leave in silence. He couldn't get over the strange fact that he had made a mistake.

"So, it's coming all together now," Ruka said as he came to stand by his friend.

"What the hell are you going on about now, Ruka?"

"The conclusion of our bet, Natsume," Ruka answered like it was obvious. "You're almost there at the door of what I would like to call…love. It's fun to watch, really. My hot tempered best friend who's the prince of all things narcissism is finally at a breaking point. Damn, I'm good."

"That crap again?" Natsume situated his hands into his pockets, cool painted over his face. "Look, I understand that you're paranoid about how I'm going to win this thing, so I get that you want to shake me up a little. But that love shit isn't going anywhere with me."

"I like how you keep digging a hole of denial."

"I mean, why can't I just be nice to the girl for damn once without being told that it's love?" Natsume grunted out. "Why does everyone have to assume that love has anything to do with how I treat Mikan? Because I'm telling you, Ruka, that's it's not happening, it hasn't happened, and this bet is as good as mine."

"Well, that's cool if it doesn't work out for you two," Tsubasa interrupted. "It gives 'You-chan' a chance then." Youichi growled a little under his breath and punched at Tsubasa's side.

"But you two have kissed before, right?" Ruka continued.

Natsume answered with a click of the tongue. "Try again, Ruka."

He did his best to hide the blush creeping to his face. It was just like his best friend to hit the mark. But like hell he'd let him know that.

Ruka studied him, grinning. He pretended to muse with a small "Hm," and said, "But I mean you two did sleep in the same bed and everything."

"Eh?" Tsubasa exclaimed. Even Youichi seemed surprised. "Y-you, you… you did things with my innocent pupil? I-I mean 'cause like…I wouldn't blame you. I mean, at first she didn't look like she could be someone to take to bed, but then after everything we went through together with her, I could totally see it happening. It's like an 'I was blind but now I see kind of thing,' right You‒"

Youichi silenced him with a good stomp to the foot. "Shut the hell up…"

"It's not like that, Ruka," Natsume droned, rolling his eyes. "I don't have feelings for her that way. Yeah we slept in the same bed and… stuff. But nothing big happened. I've kissed lots of girls before. My feelings haven't changed much. Mikan's different from any other girl I'll admit that. But that's all there is. No attachments."

Ruka didn't buy it. The nonchalant act seemed to annoy him. "Dude, can you honestly stand here and say that Sakura-san has no attachment to you?"

Silence. Natsume, whose gaze was now fixed to the floor didn't seem fazed.

"You mean you don't see it? It's written all over her face when she's with you."

"I don't see it."

"You're lying."

That was it. Natsume felt tired of the meaningless bull. He released an annoyed sigh and brushed past Ruka's shoulder.

"I'm getting a drink, the hell with all this."

Ruka stared after his best friend. "That guy, really… It wouldn't hurt to try to be more honest."

Standing secluded at a table, a certain brunette was busy playing around with her pair of silverware. After talking with friends, Hotaru had to leave on business matters, leaving Mikan alone for a while.

Mikan gazed at her own reflection mirrored from a silver platter. She originally wanted to fill it with food, but lost her appetite for some reason. She couldn't shake off feeling uneasy after she left Natsume's side.

"Mikan?"

The brunette snapped out of her thoughts and turned to find a handsome familiar face.

"Reo?"

He flashed a charming smile. "I knew it was you. I'd know that pretty face of yours anywhere."

Mikan shifted a little as he came to stand next to her. "Um… How have you been?"

"Hm," Reo mused. His fingers played with the rim of a glass as he thought. "Let's see, how to put it… If I have to be honest, I've been kind of down lately."

He was so close but seemed distant with how he continued playing with the silverware. Rather, it was unusual for him to be this quiet.

"Why's that?" Mikan asked.

A small grin thinned at Reo's lips. He turned to the brunette and cupped her cheek. His bangs brushed over his green orbs as he whispered, "Because you chose Natsume and not me."

"Eh? W-what do you mean?"

Reo's chuckling laughter sent an eerie chill up her spine.

"What exactly do you think I mean?"

"W-well, it sounded like you were accusing me and my cousin of being…together."

"You mean you're not?"

Mikan didn't know how to answer. In her eyes Reo had always upheld his gentleman role even if she did get the hint that he liked to flirt with her. But this was a little too much.

"Um, I really don't understand where this is going. You seem different for some reason."

Reo only laughed. "That's because you haven't given a chance to get to know me. After all, you've gotten to know your cousin _way_ better than anyone else. Right?"

"I…don't know what you're getting at. What do you mean?"

"Oh Mikan, your dumb looks are always so cute. Let's just say that I can tell you more if you'd like. In fact there's someone here at this party that's dying to see you. That person can tell you everything."

Mikan eyed him warily. "Who would that be exactly?"

Reo only smiled and extended an arm. "Allow me to be your escort?"

The brunette eyed him for a good moment. After concluding that the guy was crazy she set down her plate on the table and turned away.

"I need to go."

"Hold on," Reo tugged at her arm.

Mikan stopped to glare at him. "Let go."

"Don't be like that," Reo said, grinning at her scowl. His hold to her arm tightened. "It's best if you come with me, Mikan. I'd hate to make a scene by carrying you by force."

Meanwhile, the young Hyuuga heir was busy wandering around for his brunette.

"Where'd that girl run off to," Natsume muttered. "If anywhere she'd be by that chocolate fountain or…"

He paused on the words to come as he caught sight of Mikan drifting away amid the crowds of people.

"Mikan!" he called out.

It didn't seem to do him any good. She continued moving without so much as looking at him. He couldn't make out who but it looked like someone was guiding her by the arm.

"Oh, Mr. Hyuuga!" an older man called out suddenly to the young heir. "I've been meaning to speak with you about your upcoming inauguration."

Natsume tried to remain professional as his eyes scanned for Mikan. "Yes, I'm sure you have. But if you'll excuse me, I have to go."

"No, no this is very important. I'm afraid it can't wait."

The old man stood in front to block his view, insisting for conversation. It didn't look like Natsume had a choice if it involved business affairs.

He gave up with a sigh. "Damn…"

.

"We're straying away from the party," Mikan said as she followed Reo up a balcony of stairs.

"It'll be fine. No worries, no worries."

Reo's handsome smile wasn't enough to put her at ease. Mikan mentally scolded herself for being so naive in being led away. But something told her that she would regret it if she didn't come.

They walked down the corridors of a hall and came to a stop at a door. Reo played the gentleman as he gestured for the brunette to step inside.

Mikan walked in and studied the large secluded room.

"Reo… there's no one here." When she didn't get an answer, she turned around. "Reo?"

He didn't answer. Instead he locked the door and flashed a fake smile.

"Sorry, Mikan, I really hate that it had to come to this. But I benefit from it too by going through with it."

"What are you‒"

"Well, if it isn't the little rat from Como," a voice interrupted.

Mikan slowly turned to find another familiar face appearing from out of the dark corners of the room. The young woman wore a disgusted expression with a hand at the side of her hip.

It only took a second for Mikan to recognize her. "L-Luna? What are you doing here?"

"Huh?" Luna responded as if it were a stupid question. "Is that even a question that you should be asking? I think I should be the one asking you that."

Mikan noticed the tense aura surrounding the room. She spared a glance at Reo who had his arms folded over his chest, watching the scene with entertainment.

_They're up to something…_

"I don't want to be here. I'm leaving."

She did an about-face for the door but stopped short when Reo blocked her path.

Mikan didn't seem fazed. Her eyes narrowed as she ordered, "Move out of the way." The responding grin only seemed to piss her off. "Move out of the way or I'll‒"

"Scream?" Reo interjected. Before she had a chance to react, Mikan found herself being wrestled by the arms. "Please do, sweetheart. I'll just cover your mouth up with my own. Oh, but just a warning," he whispered into her ear. "It turns me on when I play rough."

Mikan felt a shiver run down her spine at how close his waist was placed at her hips. Reo forced her to turn around and look at Luna.

The blonde pretended to inspect her nails. "I'll get straight to the point."

Mikan frowned. "What point?"

"I don't know how the hell some tattered, ugly-looking dog off the street like you had the nerve to trick my Natsume," Luna said. "I mean scamps come and go if it's for the money, but you actually thought you could put up an act by tricking him."

"…I've never tricked Natsume."

Luna scoffed, "You lying bitch." She whipped out a photo from the bosom of her dress and held it up. "Then what the hell is this?"

Mikan studied the picture and then her eyes widened. It couldn't be…! Right in front of her was an evidential picture of her and Natsume sharing a passionate kiss.

She gulped. This situation was beginning to make sense now. For a good time, she and Natsume were playing the role as distant relatives, but now…

"Where…did you get that?"

"I have a better question for you, Mikan. Who's got a cousin for a professional photographer that also happens to have a fetish for stalking ugly girls like you?"

The question came as a surprise.

"Photographer?" After putting two and two together Mikan turned her head to Reo. "You…! You couldn't have…"

"Ah that's too harsh, Luna," Reo joked halfheartedly. "I wouldn't call it stalking. I just had fun getting to watch her every move that's all. And Mikan's actually a really cute girl."

"You had him follow me around?" Mikan demanded. "What gives you the right?"

Suddenly, the sound of a loud slap filled the room.

Luna glared at the brunette. "Don't you dare stand there looking down at me and preaching about who has rights to do what. What you need to explain is why the hell that you, being Natsume's 'distant' cousin had the guts to kiss him." She added, "And don't you give me that 'it's a family thing' crap for an excuse, because I am at the point of wanting to rip your eyes out."

Mikan's cheek was swollen red. She took a moment before answering, her brown eyes unwavering as she stared back confident.

"Then what if it's because I love him?" she stated. "What would you do?"

"Oh Mikan," Luna jeered, "you poor little fool. Is that the reason for that passionate kiss?"

"You don't believe me?"

"Oh, I believe you." Luna chuckled. "I mean what girl doesn't claim that she loves Natsume? They come and go like cockroaches. Natsume isn't that much of a playboy but he definitely gets around. He's a man with hormones after all, you can't blame him. I mean, I've kissed him once myself so it's no big deal."

Mikan almost gasped. "You what?"

"Oops," Luna covered her mouth. "He never told you?"

She patted at the brunette's cheek.

"That's right, cupcake. Natsume kissed me way before he ever wasted his precious lips on something like you. Not that it matters. But what I can't stand is the fact that you had the gall to play him like a fool just to be by his side. Was his money worth it that much for you to claw your way by his side for the lime light? How much money did he promise to give you?"

"It's not like that!" Mikan defended. "I would never try to use Natsume to be in the spotlight."

Luna snorted as she tucked a loose strand behind her ear.

"I had a lovely talk with your mother today by the way. Yumiko, was it?" Mikan's small flinch placed a smile at Luna's lips. "She was an interesting woman with _a lot_ of interesting things to say. I had no idea that she was your step-mother though."

"You…met with Yumiko?"

"She told me all I needed to know about you, Mikan Sakura. About how you're from a barbaric rut like Como, about how your dad pretty much discarded you, about how you don't have a single person in this world that cares about you, and about how you're just a low down dirty _thief_. You're like a weed in a bed of roses, nobody wants you."

Mikan stared down at the floor. It felt like shame was being painted upon her.

"Something like you got to stand by Natsume's side as if you were his equal," Luna writhed under her breath. "A rat like you got to play dress up and kiss the man that's supposed to be mine!"

"Your ugly is showing, Luna," Reo teased.

"Shut up!" Luna snarled. She looked again at the brunette as if she could kill. "I can't stand looking at you. You don't deserve Natsume, hell you don't even deserve to be talking to me. The only thing you deserve is‒"

"Just shut the hell up!"

Luna flinched at the sudden outburst. "W-what did you…?"

"You can call me a rat," Mikan continued, "and you can say all the things you want about me or about how my step-mom hates me or how I'm not worth anything. But I won't let you make fun of my feelings for Natsume. I love him! I would never do anything to hurt him. And if a jealous…bitch like you is upset about it, then get over it!"

The room fell quiet. Luna appeared to be composed despite the brunette's stubbornness.

She released a tired sigh with, "Is that so?" and snapped her fingers. "Let's finish this, Reo."

Mikan gasped when she was suddenly being hauled by the arm. She had no power as Reo forcefully pushed her on the bed.

"What are you doing?"

Reo ignored her. He climbed on top of her, priding her legs open as she yelped. Her arms were pinned by either side of her head while Reo hovered over her small frame. He teased by grinding his hips against her body.

"S-stop!"

"You see Mikan," Luna started, coming to stand at the edge of the bed. "This is how it's going to go. You're going to leave Natsume behind. And out of the kindness of my heart, you get to be with my cousin, Reo here."

Mikan appeared too shaken to demand for answers.

"Simply put, you're trading over Natsume for me," Reo said plainly. "At least that's the deal."

"W-what deal?" Mikan asked.

"Leave Natsume and disappear like the street rat you are," Luna said. "I hate you. But for some odd reason, Reo likes you. So, if you don't want to see photos of the man you love played all over the media about how the only Hyuuga heir kissed a woman from the slums, who lied about playing the role of his cousin, then you'll simply disappear from his life."

Mikan didn't even notice her body trembling. Disappear? Leave Natsume? Her heart began to ache.

"Think about it, Mikan," Luna said, flipping her hair. "What do you think will happen after everyone finds out that the only Hyuuga heir has ties with a homeless thief? How do you think that will reflect on him? Don't tell me you think that he would stand idly by and just take the critics."

"He… Natsume would‒"

"Hate you," Reo finished. He shrugged. "Trust me, Mikan. I've known the guy my whole life since we were rookie models. Becoming the official heir is the only thing that guy has been caring about since forever. He only cares about himself."

"Natsume's not like that," Mikan defended. "He'd never hate me."

Luna growled irritated. "Then you don't know him well enough. Do you really think that he'd defend someone like you who would be responsible for ending his career which is practically his whole life? Can you really say that he would choose something like you over becoming the Hyuuga heir?"

Her words seemed to eat away at Mikan. The brunette thought everything over.

Did Luna have a point? After all, she was just a part of a stupid bet for Natsume's gain from the very beginning. That gain ended with him becoming the new heir for a big company and her having to disappear in the end, regardless.

_But even so…_

"I… I don't want to let him go."

Reo responded with another tease of his hips to her body. Mikan held in a scream.

"But you will let him go," Luna ordered. "You will or else I'll send all the photos I have of you out to the media. Not to mention that I have your step-mother as another reason to prove your shameful background. I have all the evidence against you that will reflect badly on Natsume because of you, and it wil _ruin_ him."

Tears were falling fast now from Mikan's face. "This isn't fair. Why are you being this way?"

Luna closed her eyes with a sigh and folded her arms over her chest. "Because someone like you doesn't belong here, Mikan. Sorry, but this time Cinderella doesn't get a happy ending."

.

"Man that damn old fool was annoying," Natsume grunted under his breath.

At least forty minutes had passed since being held up. He situated the tie to this tux like he had escaped a tiring hell. His eyes roamed over the many bodies of people in the dining area.

Seeing no sign of his little brunette, he cursed under breath and decided to look elsewhere. He was so sure she'd be seen around the table of desserts.

"Where the hell is that girl?" he mumbled while making his way to the main hall.

Things weren't going well tonight. First Ruka gets on his damn nerves with garbage and then he gets talked into business affairs with an old croon, but this… Mikan missing from his side felt too empty.

He was just about to give up searching until his eyes caught sight of a girl making her way down the balcony of stairs.

"Mikan!"

The brunette froze at the calling of her name. She removed any hint of tears and pretended to fiddle with her dress.

"Dammit, here you are," Natsume said out of breath. "I've been looking everywhere for you. Where the hell did you go anyway?"

Mikan fixed her gaze to the floor. "Mm," she mumbled.

Natsume noticed her odd behavior. He wanted to tilt her chin up and force her to look at him. Even so, just the fact that she was back by his side was enough.

"Come on," he said, reaching for her hand. "Let's go find that chocolate fountain you were so excited about."

"N-no," Mikan pulled her hand away.

Natsume seemed taken aback. He was about to ask her what was wrong but paused after seeing her tremble slightly.

"H-hey…"

Mikan recomposed herself. She forced a small smile. "It's just that I feel sick."

"Sick?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "You told me to tell you if I wasn't feeling well, so…I'm sick."

Natsume only stared at her. "…The hell? But earlier you seemed just fine. You sure that‒"

"Please," Mikan interjected. She tugged at the sleeve to Natsume's arm and buried her head into his chest. "Please, can we just leave? I really don't feel like being here."

Her voice was so weak. Natsume didn't know what to do to console her. He wanted to at least kiss her and have her tell him everything.

He tilted her chin up to try and steal a quick peck of the lips. Mikan would've welcomed it. That is until…

"_Natsume kissed me way before he ever wasted his precious lips on something like you."_

Luna's recent words played in the back of Mikan's mind.

"Please don't," she said and looked away from his gaze. "I don't want to get my hopes up."

Natsume blinked back at her. That was the first time that she had ever denied him. In fact the response almost hurt him. Maybe she really was sick.

He said nothing but instead took her by the wrist and placed a kiss upon her hand.

"Don't worry," he whispered, pulling her close. "Let's get out of here, just you and me. Just the two of us."

Those words were enough to bring tears to Mikan's eyes.

"Just the two of us," she agreed.

-(Preview)-

His eyes flickered with the utmost humor. "You remember our deal, don't you?"

She nodded. "I'll be with you from now on."

Time stopped after hearing her say those words. Like hell it was going to happen.

.

First off, to all of you who are awesome: I live! Thank you all who were so patient and put up with my prolonged updates. I know the feeling of waiting forever for an author to update in what feels like a century. I hate to leave you with such a bitter chap but please know that I am so happy to have your support! I've been so busy but I have not given up on this story. *Goes into feels mode* For the love of all things Natsume I will finish this damn story! Oh, and Special thanks to**Zecka Fujioka** and **Ai Blossom Sakura **for your encouraging messages! Please bear with me as I try to update sooner.

P.S. Don't worry, Reo didn't do "it" with Mikan lol. It was for pure intimidation...yeah

Have a Blessed one~


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